Chung-Ang University

History

Establishment

Chung-Ang University began with the establishment of the Chung-Ang Kindergarten as an annex to the Chung-Ang Methodist Church, located in Insa-dong, Seoul. The kindergarten was originally founded in 1916 as a branch of the Jungdong Church, but was separated in April 1918.

The Chung-Ang Kindergarten established a teacher training program and thus took on the role of a professional educational institution, posting graduates to cities across Korea, including Hamhung, Hweryung, Busan, Masan, and Jeonju among others. In 1922, in partnership with the Community Education Movement of Japanese resistance organisations, the institution was promoted to a kindergarten teacher training school, although its official legal status remained as a miscellaneous school.

Adversities

The institute faced continual financial and personal obstacles, and with just ten students in 1932 it was forced to relocate to a private residence. In 1933 Louise Yim took over the institute's leadership and was appointed as the principal. Her savings of US$30,000 earned from farming, truck driving, and vegetable wholesale operations in the US were used to purchase a site at Heukseok-dong, where a school was built.

Chung-Ang grew significantly under Yim. But despite its relocation to Heukseok-dong the teacher training school still lacked facilities, leading Yim to rent the Pearson Bible School to host classes. However, with Yim's personal financial troubles and the Japanese prohibiting contributions the development of the school continued to face financial difficulties. Believing that the only solution was to raise funds from the United States Yim went there, seeking donations. The result was that she when she returned home to Korea she was able to support the school financially.

The school's first stone building on the grounds was started in April 1937 and became the Young-Shin Hall upon its completion in May 1938. Students subsequently founded the Chosun Kindergarten Education Society and hosted concerts, plays, and literary activities. During World War II Chung-Ang was heavily targeted by the Japanese because Yim was educated in the United States and was a Christian. Under pressure from Japanese forces towards the end of the war the school was no longer able to admit new students and it was subsequently closed in 1944.

Official recognition

Following the defeat of Japan and the liberation of Korea, Yim reopened Chung-Ang on 28 September 1945. In October of the same year the Chung-Ang Teacher Training School was re-organised under the name of the Chung-Ang Professional School for Women. In April 1947 the school was again reorganised into the Chung-Ang College for Women and then in May 1948 to the Chung-Ang College, establishing itself as a co-educational institution. Yim continued her efforts in developing the college while serving as a Korean diplomat in the United Nations, and was appointed dean and chairman of the board.

Though the college celebrated its first conferment of a bachelor's degree in May 1950 it was again closed indefinitely due to the outbreak of the Korean War. The school's management and students fled to Busan where a temporary office was established and the Chung-Ang College continued operating for the duration of the war. The college was granted official university status in February 1953 and Yim was appointed as first chancellor of the university.

Following the declaration of a ceasefire in July 1953 the university's management and teaching faculty returned to the original site in Heukseok-dong, Seoul. However, the site was occupied by the U.S. Army and so lectures had to be taught in temporary buildings until the site was eventually recovered in April 1954.

Expansion

The university continued to expand and by 1959 it encompassed 19 educational departments under four faculties with a student population of over 2,000. The university also established the International Culture Research Institute in an effort to enhance research activities. In 1960 CAU students protested against the March 1960 South Korean presidential election, and on 2 October 1961 Sung-Hee Yim was appointed as CAU's second chancellor. He was later re-elected as the third chancellor.

The university, together with its subsidiaries and affiliated schools, underwent a significant reorganisation in 1965 in an effort to develop a unified kindergarten-to-graduation education under the CAU name. In 1968 the university was reorganised once again, this time into eight component faculties, and celebrated its 50th anniversary the same year. Chull Soon Yim became the university's fourth chancellor.

Louise Yim died on 17 February 1977.

Another expansion in March 1980 saw lecture halls, dormitories, and a students' union built in Anseong, thereby establishing the Anseong campus.

Chull Soon Yim ended his term as the fourth chancellor in May 1980 and was succeeded by the professor of philosophy, Suk-Hee Lee, who became the fifth chancellor. During his tenure Lee oversaw significant improvements and modernisations of both the Seoul and Anseong campuses.

Recent history

Bum Hoon Park was inaugurated as the 12th university president in February 2005. His first major responsibility was overseeing the evaluation conducted by the Korean Council for University Education, as well as initiatives involving capital marketing, the BK21 project, the establishment of the Professional Graduate School of Law, and other national programs.

Following the restructuring of undergraduate programs the university conducted a comprehensive review of new student admissions, current student registration, financial status, and overall management of its three professional schools and eleven specialised schools, seeking to identify areas for improvement and enhance the quality of education. Consequently, 32 of the 42 faculty members in the professional and specialised schools were reassigned to the general graduate school and 10 positions were eliminated, with the reassigned faculty members forming the core of a newly established Research Priority Group.

The development plan known as DRAGON 2018 (for 2001–2004) initiated under the 11th president to guide the university toward its centennial vision was rebranded as CAU2018+ (for 2005–2008). The new plan was executed in two phases to achieve its strategic goals, and included detailed valuation indices for various sectors and outlined projected revenue sources. Between 2005 and 2009 the university secured KRW 40 billion in development funds, KRW 166.3 billion in external research grants, and KRW 17.3 billion in government funding. The total of KRW 223.6 billion represented the largest amount of financial support in the university's history.

During the first four years of Park's presidency significant investments were made in educational and research infrastructure. In February 2007 the nation's largest Law Hall was completed, and a master plan was developed for constructing Pharmacy and Natural Sciences R&D Centers near the main entrance of Campus 1, plus an Engineering R&D Center adjacent to the gymnasium.

In November 2007 the university obtained approval for the development of a tertiary campus in Hanam on the site of the former Camp Colbern, a U.S. Army installation. With an area of 86,000 pyeong the site was redeveloped for academic use, with dedicated teams organised by subject area. 244 full-time teaching staff were recruited between 2005 and 2009, and 25 full-time and part-time staff in the first semester of 2009. The Law and Medical Schools were established there in March 2009.

Academic structure and statistics

Colleges and schools

The faculty-based system was replaced by a vice presidential system in 2014, with each college operated by its respective dean. As of 2014 there are 12 colleges and 49 departments.

Postgraduate programs

The postgraduate programmes in Chung-Ang University are categorised into general graduate schools, professional schools, and specialised graduate schools.

International students

The total international student population at Chung-Ang University is approximately 2,000, with approximately 200 exchange students admitted per year.

Admissions

The admissions ratio at Chung-Ang University is 7.45% based on 2014 statistics: 73,021 applicants for 5,443 places.

Rankings

In the 2020 Times Higher Education (THE) University Rankings, CAU ranked third among Korean universities in the category of social sciences and fifth in education.

According to the 2019 Korea University Rankings by JoongAng Ilbo, CAU ranked first in the fields of film, drama, and theatre studies.

Campuses

Seoul campus

The Libraries: Chung-Ang University is home to the Central Library and the Law Library. Renovation work to the Central Library was completed in August 2009, thereby increasing its capacity to 3,400 personal cubicles plus new study rooms, tutoring rooms, an E-Lounge, and CAU-Garden, and providing access to electronic newspapers, noticeboards, and memo boards over a 14,258.2 m2 (4,320 pyeong) site. Overall, the Central Library houses over a million books and articles, 2,500 other publications, 80,000 electronic journals, access to 120 web data sites, all dissertations published by university graduates, and 40,000 copies of e-books.

The Law Library is on the first and second floors of the Law Building and houses volumes, reference books, periodicals, and all domestic and foreign data.The Main Administration Building is a white building visible after passing the Middle Entrance and contains the offices of the President, Student Affairs, General Affairs, and Public Relations.

Emancipation Square is in the center of the university and is sheltered by Seorabol Hall, the Central Library, and the Student Union Hall. It is used by students seeking relaxation as well as during festivities.The Blue Dragon Monument and Blue Dragon Pond are near the Middle Entrance and were installed in 1968 to commemorate the university's 50th anniversary. The Blue Dragon Monument depicts the moment of the dragon's ascension from the Earth's embrace, with the blessing of seven miniature dragons, and is symbolic of the prosperity of Chung-Ang University.

Young-Shin Hall is situated by the Main Entrance and was completed in May 1938.

The College Buildings include the College of Law (Law Building), Seorabol Hall, Bobst Hall, Pfeiffer Hall, College of Natural Science (Natural Science Building), College of Medicine (Medical Building), College of Pharmacy (Pharmacy Building), and the Institute of Performing Arts.

The College of Law Building was constructed in 2007 and is shared by the School of Business Administration, College of Education, and the College of Law. Facilities include student and staff cafeterias, computer rooms, the Law Library, an assembly hall, and postgraduate rooms.

Anseong campus

The Anseong Campus is located in Daedeok-myeon, Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do. This secondary campus was established in 1979, subsequent to the recognition of Chung-Ang as a university in 1948.

The College of Arts Precinct is made up of the Modelling Hall, Theatre, Crafts Hall, and Sculpture Hall. The College of Arts teaches ten art genres from literature, sculpture, and performance, through to visual design. Lectures are open to students in Creative Writing, Korean Painting, Western Painting, Arts & Crafts, Photography, Dance, Sculpture, and Industrial Design.

The School of Music Precinct is made up of Music Building 1, Music Building 2, and Young-Shin Music Hall, mainly used by students of Composition, Voice, Piano, and Orchestral Instruments.

The Korean Traditional Music Building is down the path between the Music Buildings and the Young-Shin Music Hall, and all of its areas are open to the public. The theatre and lobby are on the second floor in a gallery formation, and on the third floor private practice rooms are available to students.

The Lakeside Theatre is a stage erected at the side of a lake and serves as an open-air arena for summer performances. The surrounding garden contains trees and benches.

The College of Biotechnology & Natural Resources Precinct is made up of the Circular building (Won hyung gwan), Biotechnology building 1, Biotechnology building 2, Biotechnology building 3, and a Living Modified Organisms Laboratory.

Healthcare system

Chung-Ang University Healthcare System (CAUHS) runs two hospitals in Seoul and Gwangmyeong which provide healthcare to the residents of the Seoul Metropolitan Area.

Chung-Ang University Hospital was founded in 1968 as the first domestic association of medical school professors and moved from Pil-dong to Heukseok-dong in 2004. In 2011, after 27 years of operation, Yongsan Hospital relocated to merge with Chung-Ang University Hospital.

In March 2022 CAUHS opened Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital, its fourth hospital.

Notable alumni

Politicians

Auh June-sun (어준선)

Chang Je-won (장제원)

Jung Choun-sook (정춘숙)

Kim Nam-kuk (김남국)

Koo Yun-cheol (구윤철)

Kweon Seong-dong (권성동)

Lee Baek-yun (이백윤)

Lee Jae-myung (이재명)

Noh Woong-rae (노웅래)

Music industry

Han Sung-soo (한성수)

Art

Miseon Lee (이미선) – painter