SUNY Brand as Symbol of Excellence: Chancellor, Stony Brook President Announce New Partnership in South Korea

Funded by South Korea, SUNY Korea, LLC Will Offer Graduate Degrees in Technology & Society, Engineering

Albany – State University of New York Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher and Stony Brook University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., MD, today announced that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in South Korea has approved the establishment of SUNY Korea, a partnership in Songdo, South Korea, that will be operated by SUNY Korea, LLC.

“Korea is home to the fastest growing economy in the world and is a leader in information technology and computer science. SUNY’s presence there allows us to better engage Korean businesses and corporations, creating opportunity for students and faculty abroad and at home,” said Chancellor Zimpher. “We are honored that South Korea has recognized SUNY as a symbol of excellence in teaching and research, and I commend President Stanley and Stony Brook University for leading SUNY into this promising new venture. Our hope is that the success of their programs will serve as a gateway for additional SUNY campuses to deliver coursework at SUNY Korea, strengthening ties between New York State and the international community.”

“SUNY Korea is a very natural next step in fostering Stony Brook’s academic relationship with Korea,” said President Stanley. “We currently partner with 15 Korean universities to offer our students a broad selection of international exchange programs; we have established CEWIT Korea; and now SUNY Korea will enable Stony Brook to advance even further this highly successful international academic partnership.”

SUNY Korea, LLC is funded by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, the Incheon Free Economic Zone, and the Metropolitan City of Incheon and will offer graduate degrees – with a strong focus on research – in Computer Science, Information Systems, and Technology Systems Management.

Officials expect academic programs to begin in March 2012 with a target enrollment of 200 students in the first year. Pending Middle States Accreditation and facility readiness, enrollment applications to SUNY Korea will be available this fall.

Faculty in Songdo will comprise a combination of faculty that reside in Korea as well as Stony Brook University faculty, funded by South Korea. Presently, seven Stony Brook faculty members – three in the Department of Technology and Society and four in the Department of Computer Science – have expressed interest in teaching assignments in Songdo.

In addition, the SUNY Korea partnership has been awarded funding under a Ministry of Knowledge Economy grant entitled “Fostering Premium IT Professionals.” The total grant is for approximately $50 million for 10 years, and SUNY Korea will work with the Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), a top-notch engineering university in Hyoja, for a 20 percent allocation of the grant.

In May 2009, the SUNY Board of Trustees issued a resolution authorizing the development and implementation of overseas educational programs and related academic degree and research collaborations with partner universities and institutions located at the Incheon Free Economic Zone.

About the State University of New York

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, educating more than 467,000 students in more than 7,500 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses with nearly 3 million alumni around the globe. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu.

###