Dankook University has been closely collaborating with the corporate sector by exchanging technology, equipment and facilities, thereby successfully expanding career opportunities for students, officials said.

Through its project “Creative DASAN LINC,” the university has sought to partner with private companies to bring economic and academic synergy. It is part of the state-led scheme “Leaders in Industry-University Cooperation.”

Dankook was selected as a model school for the second stage of the project between 2014 and 2017 ― the first phase ran from 2012 to 2013.

It named the project after Dasan ― the pen name of famous Korean scholar Jeong Yak-yong in the 18th century ― to develop his study of pragmatism, the school said.

Since 1995, the university has specialized one campus in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, as a medical-bio cluster, which integrated multiple entities including the medical school, natural science studies and technology research centers. 

At the same time, the school has provided various programs such as practical training courses, internships and start-up communities in collaboration with private companies.

It also opened a start-up support center in 2010 and currently 30 venture companies have moved in. The accumulated turnover of these start-ups reaches 220 billion won ($198 million), the school said.

The programs played an important role in raising the students’ employment rate with 100 students being recruited at major companies as of this year, Dankook University officials said.

The university received the top grade among schools which took part in the LINC project for two consecutive years in 2013 and 2014. It also won two awards from the Education Ministry last year.

“(We) are putting efforts into making the school a leading institution for collaboration with the corporate sector based on open communication and sharing culture,” said Creative DASAN LINC head Lee Gye-hyung.

“The school will continue to nurture talented individuals who can contribute to a better global creative economy.”

By Lee Hyun-jeong  (rene@heraldcorp.com)