After a year of preparation, Dongguk University launched its “RE_START Project,” a strategy roadmap for the next 10 years. Kim Hee-ok, the newly elected president of Dongguk, said that “By the year 2020, the university is aiming to become one of the top 100 universities in the world.”

Preparations for the plan began last year in April with the “2020 Vision Plan” meetings, which were held to gather opinions about the future of the university. 

In pursuit of its goals, the project is anchored around five main strategies: 1) strengthening the foundational spirit of the school, 2) fostering creative students by combining some departments, 3) promoting research and development in emerging fields, 4) building new campus facilities, and 5) developing a state-of-the-art medical center.

In order to strengthen the foundational spirit of the school, Dongguk is determined to continue spreading Buddhist virtues by making Jeonggakwon more accessible to the public and establishing an international Buddhist center on campus. Also, based on Buddhist virtues, Dongguk aims to serve as a role model for other universities.

The university also has plans to combine some departments, especially in liberal arts and natural sciences, to provide students with a more balanced and creative learning experience. Even departments with fewer students will be reorganized gradually.

More emphasis will be placed on promoting graduate research studies, particularly in the field of biomedical technology. Now that the university’s biomedical center in Ilsan has been completed, there are large, well-equipped medical research facilities available. The number of students attending graduate school at the Seoul campus will also be increased.

At the Seoul campus, the university has plans to renovate some of the buildings, including Student Hall, Wonheung Hall, and Myungjin Hall. In addition, the area around Hyehwa Gate will be expanded by purchasing additional real estate.

To further boost its strategy, Dongguk plans to step up efforts to raise funds in various ways. For example, at the recent event launching Dongguk University’s new project, people in attendance were given cosmetic gifts produced in one of the university’s biomedical laboratories in collaboration with a university-operated chemical company. The university is planning to use the proceeds from the sale of these products in various ways such as giving scholarships to students.

Faculty members and students alike are being asked to show support for the university’s ambitious 10-year plan. Kim Hee-ok stressed that “The project’s success rests on the help of all members of the Dongguk community.”

Lee Jong-seok  bigbell414@dongguk.edu

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