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The UOS began a program for students who want to travel abroad in the age of globalism. ‘The 2001 Travel Abroad Program’ supports 200 students by providing each student with 1 million won to go abroad and experience foreign culture. It is the first time for the UOS to support students financially with a budgeted program.
But the program has not been successful since the selection process has problems. Some other universities have held similar programs to the UOS’s program and maybe we should examine the other universities’ programs to improve ours.
The Test That Could not Judge English Ability
All students who applied for the selective examination said that the examination could not judge students’ English ability fairly. There were some problems with the examination. The major problem was the level of examination. Most students felt the examination was too difficult.
So many students used expedients such as ‘zzikki’ and rolling pencil. And the room that students took test in was too narrow and there were not enough supervisors. One sophomore who took test said he saw some students cheating. And solving 100 questions in 60 minutes, left students feeling hurried and confused.
And many students questioned why there was a written English test and not an oral English interview. Most students thought that for traveling abroad, an English interview would have been more appropriate.
Considering all the situations covered in the test, what was the difference between qualified and unqualified students? For reference, we demanded to the Director of Student Affairs that the corrected test data should be made available for students to examine. But he said the UOS decided not open the test data up to students. So this article was written from the statements of many students who took the exam.
For Only Sightseeing?
Chonnam National and Konkuk Universities have already executed several similar programs. There was a common problem at these universities to find ways to prevent students from turning their programs into reckless sightseeing tours.
According to a statement of Kim Young-bong, the person responsible for the ‘Konkuk 21st Century New Frontier Program’, claimed there was a considerable waste of time and money caused by students who misunderstood the real purpose of this project.
So Konkuk University has enforced a deposit system making students deposit a sum and which is later returned if result of trip is turned out as planned. Many Konkuk University students disagree with this deposit system, but Mr. Lee said it would prevent deviating from the original purpose of the trips by senseless students.
All Students Join the Travel
Kyunghee University utilizes their project via the internet. Using the internet is a good way to supervise students from a long distance. And its regular internet updates gives non-traveling students a chance to experience the trips indirectly. This internet broadcasting of trips also plays an important part in advertising the project. In contrast with other universities’ low competition rate, there is keen competition of 10 to 1 at Kyunghee University. To keep track of students, Kyunghee University has increased personnel and support expenses. The internet address of Kyounghee University’s broadcasting is: http://cvs2.kyunghee.ac.kr/~tambang/
Write a Report!
Konkuk University has two types of teams. One is an academic tour with a professor and other one is travel with friends like our situation at the UOS. Kyunghee University give students a certain task to complete and students have to decide where they will visit before leaving.
In comparison to common travel, the academic tour has certain academic purposes. Students in the academic tour visit world-famous organizations or companies and learn industrial expertise and information of their own. Contrary to personal experience in common travel, knowledge and information gained with academic tours have considerable scientific worth.
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