The Office of Global Education will be providing new options for summer 2014 study abroad programs for students who wish to study in South Korea, Japan and Spain.  Programs offered include Dankook University, Shimane University, and Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca.

Nick Vasiloff, advisor at education abroad, said Dankook University in Seoul, South Korea is one of the more unique exchange programs offered.

“It is an exchange of both students and faculty which is different and unique compared to our other programs,” Vasiloff said.

“We have other exchange programs in Korea but none of them are short term summer programs,” he said. “This is totally new and unique with great opportunity.”

Along with the unique exchange options, Vasiloff said that Dankook University offers students huge financial incentives with the program.

“They will reimburse up to $1,200 of your flight and will provide you free housing and breakfast daily,” he said

While at Dankook University, students will take two courses amounting in six credits July 7 through July 25. 

“The courses range, which makes this program an option for many different majors,” Vasiloff said.

Another unique, new program offered for summer 2014 is Shimane University located in Japan. The program will also be offered July 7 through July 25.

“It is unique in the sense that it is not in Tokyo,” Vasiloff said. “It’s located in a small, rural city, possibly comparable to Kent.”

The three week long program will offer students a variety of social and cultural activities in subjects ranging from archeology and art history to origami and Japanese arts.

Vasiloff said although the program does not currently offer academic credit, it is a great opportunity for students interested in learning critically about Japanese culture in a small retrospect compared to Tokyo.

“This program is focused on students who have high interest in Japanese language and East Asian culture and history,” Vasiloff said.

He said he believes when students travel to places such as Japan and South Korea, they will also learn about cultural and self awareness.

“You emerge yourself in a totally new space bubble and you learn so much about different cultures and different ways of living that rid the barriers you may have unintentionally put up before,” Vasiloff said. “The personal understanding and way of thinking about how others in different cultures operate can truly make you grow as a person.”

The application deadline for the Dankook University program and the Shimane University program is April 17, 2014.

Another third new program being offered for summer 2014 is at Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca located in Salamanca, Spain.  The program is offered May 30 through June 28.

Students will take 3-4 credits of Spanish classes, which range from beginner level to upper intermediate. Students will also take part in cultural activities such as cooking and dancing lessons and field trips to surrounding cities such as Avila and Madrid.

Elizabeth Davis, advisor at education abroad, is the coordinating advisor for the Salamanca program.

Davis said she believes it is very important for students to travel to destinations such as Salamanca.

“It is important for students to travel abroad in order to challenge their most basic assumptions about how the world works,” Davis said.  “The world is a complex place and only experiencing life from one perspective means that you are going through life partially blind.”

The application deadline for the Salamanca program has been extended to April 15, 2014.

For more information on the summer 2014 programs and any other questions about study abroad visit the Office of Global Education in Van Campen Hall.

Contact Chelsey Milkovich at [email protected].