Founded in 1906 by Korea's ecumenically minded Jogye Order, Dongguk remains one of the few Buddhist affiliated universities in the world. Yet, its doors have always been open to students and teachers of all faiths and philosophies.
Students and professors worldwide enhance education quality on each of Dongguk's four campuses by bringing together dramatically diverse life experiences and cultures in a joint educational mission.
Graduate and undergraduate students are exposed to the latest theories and practical training in every university study area. Dongguk consistently ranks among Korea's top universities. An equally important ingredient in any collegiate experience is the self's development, a maturing process enhanced by exposure to people of diverse backgrounds, opinions, and value systems.
For thousands of new students each year, Dongguk continues to serve as a significant first step on a lifelong journey of self-discovery, service to others, and spiritual enlightenment.
In 1906 when our nation's future was uncertain under the Japanese colonial rule, Buddhist leaders founded Myeongjin School with the spirit of protecting the nation through education, which evolved into Advanced Buddhist School), Central School, Central Buddhist Junior college, and Hyehwa Junior College in turn. When it was closed by the Japanese colonial government, the school had a sad history, and proud history reopened with its independence. The school changed its name to Dongguk College in 1946, which was promoted to a university in 1953, and has developed to this day. Leading the society, Dongguk University is a prestigious private school and the only Buddhist University in Korea, which has produced 250,000 talented graduates working in various sectors, including religious, political, economic, social, educational, and cultural spheres Buddha's teachings of benevolence and wisdom. However, Dongguk University has faced an era when it can no longer afford to be content with its glorious history and tradition.
The foundational spirit of Dongguk University is summed up in three educational goals: to build up one's character based on the Buddhist virtues to make the nation, humanity, and nature full of wisdom and benevolence and to realize the ideal society in which people can trust and respect each other.
Following the foundational spirit, the University aims to make the Buddhist spirit and the Korean culture known worldwide and further cultivate persons of talent with leadership skills, who will devote themselves to realizing ideals of the nation and humanity by researching and teaching academic theories and their application methods.
But this critical time when there is a mix of optimistic and pessimistic views of the future will be an opportunity for Dongguk University, with its founding philosophy of Buddhism, a religion of enlightenment, to leap into a prestigious world-class university.
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