In 1885, two protestant missionaries took their first historic steps on Koreans oil. They were Horace G. Underwood and Henry G. Appenzeller, sent by Presbyterian and Methodist churches. Their sacrificial dedication and prophetic mission work laid the gracious foundation for the modernization of Korea. Yonsei University’s beginning is deeply rooted and indebted to their educational mission projects along with Horace. N. Allen’s medical mission. The first private Christian College, Chosen Christian College, by Rev. Underwood, and Allen’s first Western-style hospital, Gwanghyewon became what would later become Yonsei University.
Their dream and Prayer to transform a Korea devastated by Japanese colonization began with educating future Christian leaders. Celebrating its 131 year history in deep gratitude to the passion and devotion of the founding missionaries, Yonsei University and its graduates have truly fulfilled their calling by becoming cornerstones for South Korea’s miraculous social and economic developments. The remarkable growth of Korean churches are also the result of Yonsei’s dream to develop future Christian leaders.
Today, Yonsei University stands as a leader in global education in Korea and throughout Asia - with over 4,200 enrolled international students and 300 highly qualified faculty members from around the globe. Whether it be Liberal Arts under the Underwood International College, or graduate studies at the university’s prestigious Global MBA program, Yonsei passionately strives to raise world class global leaders. From its humble beginnings as a school founded by Christian Missionaries, Yonsei is now at the forefront of academic leadership as one of the most prestigious private Christian universities in the world. Remembering the spirit of the early missionaries to train future Christian leaders, not only for Korea, but also for the global world; and carrying on their sacrificial love and dedication, Yonsei University proudly founded GIT – Global Institute of Theology, an English graduate program in theology for international students around the world in March of 2015.