Kyung Hee University

Kyung Hee University is a private research university in South Korea.

Kyung Hee University was founded in 1949 as Sin Heung Junior College, a 2-year college. Amid the financial crisis of the Korean War, Young Seek Choue bought the struggling school in 1951 and had it accredited as a 4-year undergraduate college in 1952.

In 1954, the college was renamed Kyung Hee University, after the pen name of Choue's wife, Dongju Lee. In the following years, the university expanded rapidly, adding new colleges and departments. In 1965, the university established the Kyung Hee College of Korean Medicine, one of the first Korean medical colleges in the country.

In 1972, Kyung Hee University researchers demonstrated a drug-free acupunctural anesthesia, which was a significant breakthrough in the field of traditional Korean medicine. In 1978, the university opened its Natural History Museum, which houses a collection of over 90,000 specimens.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Kyung Hee University continued to grow and expand. The university established new campuses in Yongin and Gwangneung, and it added new colleges and departments, including the College of Arts and Design, the College of Music, and the College of Nursing.

In 2000, Kyung Hee University established the Institute of Korean Studies, which is dedicated to the study of Korean culture and society. In 2005, the university established the Humanitas College, a liberal arts college that offers a unique curriculum that combines traditional Korean studies with Western humanities.

Today, Kyung Hee University is one of the most prestigious universities in South Korea. It is known for its strong academic programs. Kyung Hee University is a global university with a large international student population. The university offers a variety of programs and services to support international students, and it has a number of international exchange agreements with universities around the world.

Based on the QS World University Rankings of 2025, Kyung Hee University is positioned as the #328 top university in the world, which makes it the #10 top university in South Korea. The university's global rank is improved by 4 points from last year.