Seoul National University (also known as
SNU, usually only within the campus; the Korean name simply translates simply to
Seoul University), colloquially known in Korean as
Seouldae (???), is the most prestigious university in
South Korea. It is a
public research university located in
Seoul, and it is ranked 24th in the world in publications by the
Science Citation Index[4] and 50th in the world and 8th in Asia by THES-QS World University Rankings.
[5] Founded in 1946, Seoul National University was the first national university in South Korea, and served as a model for the many national and public universities in the country. Seoul National University has been recognized for its leading role in Korean academia, and entry into the university is viewed as a ticket to success. Recently, the
Ecole des Mines de Paris - MINES Paris Tech reported that SNU is ranked 5th in the world in terms of the number of alumni currently holding
CEO positions in
Fortune 500 enterprises.
[6]Throughout its history, Seoul National University has been regarded as the most eminent of all post-secondary educational institutions in South Korea. It is regarded as the most renowned university by the general public and recruits top-notch high school students.[7] To join the international trend of learning, the university's faculty recruiting effort includes more than 350[8] foreign professors. Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen and Fields Medal recipient Hironaka Heisuke are on the faculty roster.[9]
Today Seoul National University comprises sixteen colleges and six professional schools, with a student body of about thirty-thousand. It has two campuses in Seoul the main campus in Gwanak, and the medical campus (named Yeongeon Campus after its neighbourhood) in Jongno. SNU is notable for its "fleet-style" system, offering diplomas for virtually every academic field, from aerospace engineering to Western history.[10]
Although the University was founded in 1946, some of its colleges, and its former main campus (the current medical campus) can trace their lineage to Kyongsong University, formerly Keijo Imperial University, established as one of Japan's 9 imperial universities.
