A commemorative event that celebrated the 50th year of the first admission to the College of Education (in 1969) and the 40th year of the first admission to the Graduate School of Education (in 1979) was successfully held at Grand Ambassador Hotel in Jangchung-dong and throughout the campus of Dongguk University on Friday, October 11. Over 300 alumni and 100 secondary school educators attended the event, which consisted of an academic conference, a school administrator training, and an evening performance called the Night of Hakrim Alumni. The attendees celebrated the establishment of the institutions and strengthened their commitment toward further development of the university.

Over 100 people attended the academic conference for school teachers as well as the school administrator training for principals and vice principals of secondary schools and explored measures to manage changes in education and teachers’ roles in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The campus tour was particularly well received among the attendees, as it provided the opportunity to witness the innovative achievements of the college and have a conversation with future teachers. The evening performance, which is also known as the Night of Hakrim Alumni, started at 6 p.m. with the sound of drums played by students majoring in dance at the Graduate School of Education. This event was attended by over 300 alumni, including Dae-shin Park, the chairman of the alumni association; Chae-gi Gwak, the President of Academic Affairs; Byung-hwa Jeon, the Head of Seoul Jungbu District Office of Education; and Sang-jin Bahn, the President of the Korean Educational Development Institute. During the event, the Dongguk University Choir showcased a celebratory performance; the alumni association awarded scholarships to juniors; and the university presented a plaque of appreciation to the schools that cooperate well with the college regarding teaching practices. Cheol-Geun Song, a graduate from the class of 1985, made a pledge to donate 100 million won. The relay of donations for junior alumni and the alma mater continued as Donggwanhwae, an alumni group of current school principals and vice principals, donated 10 million won; Professor Jin-ho Koh at the Department of Education donated 10 million won; and the faculty members of the College of Education donated 20 million won. The joint performance of the student band comprising history education majors and Professor Jin-ho Koh at the Department of Education created an exhilarating atmosphere that commemorated the Night of Hakrim Alumni. Jae-woong Yoon, Dean of the College of Education and the Graduate School of Education, declared a new vision of “becoming one of the 100 best colleges in the field of education based on the global education platform.” He said that the College and the Graduate School of Education, as the living history of Korean education, will not become complacent but will continue to strive to produce professional educators who can contribute to the future society.