George Mason University Korea draws on an extraordinary combination of people, place and values to create a top institution of global higher education.
South Korea offers a remarkable testament to the power of education, imagination, and community to harness the energies of globalization. The new city of Songdo, South Korea, home to Mason Korea, is a material expression of these powers. Here in Songdo, the dynamism of a US-style education—with its emphasis on active learning, high levels of student-faculty interaction and the liberal arts tradition of the well-rounded student—benefits from and contributes to the dynamism of our Korean hosts.
At Mason Korea, we make real the promise of a global village by gathering students from all over the world to learn together. These exceptional students challenge themselves by studying in a culture and very often a language different from their native ones. They gain international perspectives in the classroom and from their interactions with an international faculty and student body. Through this global learning experience these students will become leaders in a world where the most important challenges and opportunities cross national boundaries.
While Mason Korea is global in its people and perspectives, it is also firmly rooted in the values that have driven one of the great success stories in modern American education. George Mason University has grown in just over fifty years from a small, regional college campus to one of the top universities in the US with over 38,000 students, research that puts it among only 115 Tier 1 US research universities, and a track record of student success that includes the highest salaries for graduates among any university in Virginia.
These values are reflected in our strategic plan. They include a drive toward innovation and experiment, a powerful belief in the twin virtues of diversity and community, the responsible stewardship of our resources, the cultivation of a collegial and ethical environment for faculty and staff, and an educational environment that challenges and empowers our students, setting them up not only for the fulfillment of their personal goals, but also for a positive impact on the world. For this reason, one of George Mason University’s strategic goals is “Global Engagement.” Mason Korea helps George Mason University to fulfill that goal.
The values that guide Mason Korea are rooted as well in our special partnership with the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, the Incheon Global Campus, and the government of Korea. These values are reflected in the long history of collaboration between the US and Korea, and a shared commitment to innovation, internationalization, and educational achievement.
The goals below contribute to these values and the overall missions of George Mason University, and George Mason University Korea.
Academic excellence is at the center of everything we do. We are focused on student success. Students entrust us with their educational ambitions, and we promise to provide teaching that is challenging and supportive, and that will help to launch our students on a path to career success, responsible citizenship, and lifelong learning.
Academic programs at Mason Korea are distinguished by the quality of the faculty who teach them, by the student-teacher engagement central to our instruction, and by their incorporation of experiential and service learning. Our academic programs are also distinguished by their subjects. We bring unique and in-demand opportunities for learning to the Korean educational landscape.
Provide excellent support to students to facilitate their best educational performance, graduate successfully and on time, and achieve a strong outcome either in the workforce or in the pursuit of further education.
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Mason Korea will continue to expand its academic offerings, adding new courses and new degree programs, the latter serving in-demand educational interests and needs in Korea and internationally.
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Connect classroom instruction to the broader world through learning practices such as research internships, business internships, community service learning and co-curricular or extra-curricular events or activities.
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One of George Mason’s strategic goals is “Global Engagement.” Mason Korea serves that goal by providing education geared to the modern, globalized world. Through their coursework, through a university community composed of diverse students and faculty from many countries, and through their engagement with globally minded teacher-scholars, our students gain the language and cultural competencies required for success in global business and public service as well as the multiple challenges and opportunities that cross national borders. This global mindset will distinguish our students in their professional and civic lives and contribute to the development of Korea and the global community.
Located within three hours of 60 cities with populations over one million, in a region with many of the fastest growing economies in the world, George Mason’s Korea campus offers ready access to vital cultural, economic and geopolitical spaces. This location makes it an ideal place for globalized education and research. Mason Korea attracts talent from across the world, including students, scholars and supporters. These members of the Mason Korea community find at Mason Korea a location to expand professional and scholarly opportunities on a global scale.
Draw students from across the world, and ensure that our student and community life and our academics reflect and enhance Mason Korea’s international population.
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Each year, George Mason US study abroad students or students from other universities will join the Mason Korea community for a semester or year and enrich our global student community.
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Because of the emphases of Mason Korea’s degree programs and the particular research interests of our faculty, most faculty research takes international perspectives.
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Mason Korea creates value in the communities that support it. We develop talent, cultivate minds, and improve lives. Since education is a public as well as a private good, our impact extends beyond individual students. Mason Korea fosters a new generation of global-minded leaders who will drive economic growth, address key challenges, and serve their communities in myriad ways.
Our institutional activities also serve local, regional and global stakeholders through economic development, partnerships with government and NGOs, community enrichment, transcultural communication and interaction, and the furthering of the growth and internationalization goals of our key supporters: George Mason University, the Incheon Free Economic Zone, and the Republic of Korea. As Mason creates value in these communities, they in turn invest in George Mason Korea.
Mason Korea generates economic activity that supports our communities both in Korea and the US; as Mason Korea continues to grow, so too will the impact of this activity.
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Support, engage and help to educate not only of our students, but also members of our local communities in Songdo and Korea more broadly.
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Support the lifelong learning goals not just of our students, but also of our local community.
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Mason Korea operates in a manner consistent with key George Mason University values, including innovation, integrity, community, diversity and good stewardship. We believe that these values drive the remarkable success of George Mason University and are a key to driving the success of George Mason University, Korea.
We will seek to ensure that George Mason Korea is well on the way to its 10-year enrollment goal of 1200 students through continued enrollment growth and the development of new academic programs. We will also ensure that this growth is built on the strong foundations of an engaged and satisfied faculty and staff, a responsible budget, and a growing number of alumni and friends who support the campus.
Grow consistent with the expectations set by Korean Ministry of Education quotas and sufficient to ensure long-term stability and strategic investment in new programs and initiatives.
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Promoting a strong workplace culture is essential to the continued success of Mason Korea—and the right thing to do.
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Great universities have great supporters. Mason Korea will seek to expand its network of supporters in Korea and the US.
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