Seoul National University (South Korea)
Yu Goto
Exchange Programs
February 2023 – May 2023
Tell us the reason why you decided to join the program.
GNAM Week Graduation Ceremony
(Yu in the second from left)
(Yu in the second from left)
Since it was the time during the Coronavirus pandemic, I was looking for an exchange program that was close to Japan and could be completed in English. Then I was interested in the Global MBA Program at Seoul National University, a GNAM (Global Network of Advanced Management) member school, from the list of the partner schools of our graduate school.
Sample of courses you took
Business Ethics and Legal Issues
Understanding Global Business
HR Analytics
Understanding Global Business
HR Analytics
Tell us about the classes and research during your study abroad.
Each lecture is four hours long and is held twice a week. Since an assignment is given in every lecture, it is necessary for students to make time for review besides the lecture time. In some courses there was a quiz once every two classes. There was also group work, and the final examination consisted of a report and a group presentation, or a written test.
Tell us about the school’s environment (Facilities, faculty and staff members, students, etc.).
Each lecture is four hours long and is held twice a week. Since an assignment is given in every lecture, it is necessary for students to make time for review besides the lecture time. In some courses there was a quiz once every two classes. There was also group work, and the final examination consisted of a report and a group presentation, or a written test.
Did you participate in any activities besides lectures and research?
More than half of the students enrolled in the English-language MBA program are international students, and the rest are Koreans who were educated in the U.S. or other countries, or who work for international organizations or global companies. Almost all faculty members have PhD degrees from U.S. graduate schools, and there is a double degree program with U.S. graduate schools, so the program is designed with U.S. MBAs in mind. The building where MBA lectures are held was donated by a company, and the facilities were designed to allow students to concentrate on their studies.
Reflect your study abroad and tell us about your thoughts.
It was such a meaningful time for me because I was able to experience things that are only possible at a GNAM member school (something I could not have done at Kyoto University).
I was able to participate in the Workshop classes at Kyoto University via Zoom until my return to Japan with the prior approval of my academic supervisor, and was able to conduct the Workshop concurrently with my study abroad experience without any delays.
I am very grateful for the cooperation and flexibility of both schools, which enabled such an arrangement and allowed me to participate in the exchange program.
I was able to participate in the Workshop classes at Kyoto University via Zoom until my return to Japan with the prior approval of my academic supervisor, and was able to conduct the Workshop concurrently with my study abroad experience without any delays.
I am very grateful for the cooperation and flexibility of both schools, which enabled such an arrangement and allowed me to participate in the exchange program.
What kind of impact or changes has your experience of studying abroad given you? (Finding a job, future vision, point of view, etc.)
I still keep in touch with the students that I met through the exchange program. What I learned from them, with their diverse backgrounds, broadened my perspective and thinking. I also had the opportunity to speak with professors (who are also from the U.S. universities) at various social gatherings, which was very helpful in thinking about my future.
Please give some advice and message to the prospective students who are thinking of studying abroad.
There are many things that are different from Kyoto University's MBA program, such as the lecture design and schedule, but I think that is why the significance of studying abroad and what I gained from it were so great. Seoul National University Graduate School is a member of GNAM with a high international reputation, and I think it is one of the most promising candidates among the partner universities for study abroad programs for those who want to study in Asia with multinational students in English with high quality learning.