IGEE at Yonsei University

Yonsei University (President Seoung Hwan Suh) will host the Third Global Engagement and Empowerment Forum on Sustainable Development, GEEF, on February 4th and 5th of 2021. The Third forum will be held online under the theme “3Ps Beyond Security: Peace, Prosperity, and Partnership” to diagnose the global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, examine problems incurred by the existing international cooperation regime led by a few developed countries, and discuss partnerships and the path forward to accelerate the achievement of United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).President Suh commented, “Yonsei University is committed to serve as an engaged academic partner to promote sustainable development of our society. Based on our core value of Engagement, we will devote the capabilities of the members in our university community, resources, and forge partnerships with external actors to contribute to South Korea’s efforts on social responsibility and international development cooperation efforts.”

Yonsei University is galvanizing SDGs by enhancing its partnerships with various stakeholders and networks. Yonsei University has joined 1) UGC (University Global Coalition as the initiating member university and 2) USRN (University Social Responsibility Networks) to practice the engagement by university for better tackling SDGs & sustainable future, bringing together a group of thought leaders to exchange ideas, resources, practices of varied scope and scale to steer global discussion and development of USR in higher education for taking it as our own mission. This will be a cornerstone for SDG 17. Partnerships for the Goals.

Through cooperating with Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the medical center is carrying out a "project to strengthen the maternal and child health system in central Senegal" with a five-year plan from 2018 to 2022. The main project is to build health centers in two central Senegal states with high maternal and newborn mortality rates, strengthen maternal and newborn health personnel capacities through education and customized coaching, and promote maternal and newborn health through COVID-19. The partnership for common response to COVID-19 in the developing country will greatly impact SDG 17. Partnerships for the Goals.

Yonsei University and the Ghanaian government signed a business contract to establish a university in the Bunso area of Ghana. Yonsei University Mirae Campus will be in charge of overseeing the education, administration, and industry-university cooperation fields of this project, and Heerim Architects will be in charge of architectural design and supervision of the university building.Through this project, which will be carried out for three years from 2020 with an investment of approximately KRW 120 billion, a university with approximately 1,100 students will be established in eight departments, two faculties, two colleges of engineering and agriculture (SDG 17.9 Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the sustainable development goals). Mirae Campus will build the university's educational curriculum, administrative system, laboratory facilities, and industry-university cooperation system, and train operating personnel. Also Mirae Campus projects and plans to establish Korea's first digital healthcare convergence university, will pass on the know-how of establishing and operating the high-tech ICT department.Yonsei University has been preparing since last year to participate in the founding of the University of Ghana, and now the results have come to fruition. Through participation in this project, Mirae Campus is expected to contribute to expanding exchanges with Africa by advancing into education projects not only in Ghana but also in other African regions.