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Ewha Medical School Achieves Accreditation in the 2020 Medical Education Evaluation The Ewha Womans University School

The Ewha Womans University School of Medicine has gained the top grade of “six-year accreditation” in the 2020 Evaluation and Accreditation of Medical Education conducted by the Korean Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation (KIMEE). The school has been given the highest grade for the third consecutive time since it was accredited in 2010 and 2014, proving its status as one of Korea's top institutions for medical education. The KIMEE conducted the 2020 Evaluation and Accreditation of Medical Education for 12 medical schools whose accreditations were due to expire on February 28, 2021, by applying the newly-introduced Accreditation Standards of KIMEE 2019 (ASK2019). The Ewha School of Medicine satisfied 87 out of 92 basic standards in nine evaluation areas including mission and outcomes; curriculum; student assessment; student; faculty; education resources; education evaluation; university operation system and administration; and continuous improvement, thereby achieving the top grade “six-year accreditation.” The duration of the 2020 accreditation is from March 1, 2021 to February 28, 2027. Medical education at Ewha began with Po Goo Nyo Goan, Korea’s first hospital for women only that opened in 1887, later producing the first Korean woman physician, Dr. Esther Kim Pak, and pioneering female medicine in Korea. Having inherited such tradition and history, the Ewha School of Medicine has produced more than 4,200 women doctors since it opened in 1945, playing a critical role in Korea's medical profession. With its relocation to the Magok campus in the first semester of 2019, the school has established a new vision as a future-oriented medical school to prepare for the 21st century and take a leap forward towards the goal of training excellent women medical students and talents in the medical and bio fields who will lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
- No.551
- Writer
- Date2021.01.14
- Views8541
550
Ewha Produces 13 Successful Candidates for State Examination, Strengthening Its Stature as a Top University

Among the list of successful candidates for the 2020 Open Competitive Examination for National Public Service for Grade V positions announced by the Ministry of Personnel Management on Tuesday, December 29, Ewha produced total of 13 successful candidates, including Cho Ye-rim (Social Studies Education, incoming class of 2014) who passed with the highest score, enhancing its position as one of the top universities for producing high-ranking government officials. This is especially significant considering that the number of successful applicants from Ewha has increased despite the year-on-year decrease of the proportion of successful female applicants to 36.1 percent. The 13 successful candidates from Ewha come from diverse majors such as humanities, education, social studies, and natural science, and will be assigned to various positions in central and local governments, including general administration, education administration, finance, and international trade. Cho Ye-rim, who passed the test with the top score to become a public official in education administration service while attending Ewha, said, “Special lectures and mock tests provided by the Career Development Center during summer vacation and special lectures delivered by professors at the State Exam Prep Club were really helpful.” She also added, “I was always interested in the field of education and welfare, and now I’d like to contribute to the formation of policy that encourages and helps students to realize their potential in spite of difficulties in their family backgrounds or studies.” Cho Ye-rim, who passed the test for education administration service with the highest score | Hwang Seon-bin, who became a successful candidate for the 2020 Diplomatic Service Examinations Earlier on Sunday, November 29, Hwang Seon-bin (Political Science & Diplomacy, graduate class of 2017) became a successful candidate for the 2020 Diplomatic Service Examinations. This year, 1,166 people applied for the test, and 47 finally passed the Public Service Aptitude Test (first round, multiple-choice test), major evaluation test (second round, essay-writing test), and final interview (third round). Those who passed the final round will enter the Korea National Diplomatic Academy as a diplomat candidate and complete the regular course (about 11 months) before being appointed as a Grade V public officer. The Career Development Center actively helps Ewha students to enter the public sector through the operation of various programs such as the State Exam Prep Club, Public Enterprise EDU and ROTC Prep Club. In particular, the center has established an advisory committee for the State Exam Prep Club, which consists of outstanding full-time faculty in key subjects such as administrative studies, administrative law, and political science & diplomacy, to support students in the prep club across a variety of areas. With such support, Ewha has maintained its position as one of the top universities for producing successful candidates and advancing women’s representation in state exams, marking achievements including the following: the youngest successful candidate for the 2013 Diplomatic Service Examinations; top successful candidates in general administrative service for 2015 National Legislative Examination and in education administrative service in the 2015 Higher Civil Service National Examination; three final successful candidates for the 2016 Diplomat Candidate Selection Examination; and top successful candidate in financial service for 2016 Higher Civil Service National Examination.
- No.549
- Writer
- Date2021.01.04
- Views29810
548
Ewha Womans University’s Technology Holdings Co., Ltd Leads the Commercialization of Excellent R&D Outputs

Ewha is rapidly emerging as the cradle of promising venture companies in the field of bio, medical, and knowledge services sectors by commercializing excellent R&D research results produced within the school. With the government’s announcement to create a fund of 1.55 trillion won by 2022 to commercialize excellent R&D results, Ewha Womans University Technology Holdings Co., Ltd is expediting the commercialization of new industries and leading the trend of university-based business startups. Ewha Womans University Technology Holdings Co., Ltd was founded in 2016 to promote the commercialization of technology owned by the school. It aims to actively support the successful commercialization of excellent R&D outcomes within the school and technological innovation beyond school labs. Under the aim to establish a virtuous cycle of reinvesting profits generated through such efforts, Ewha Womans University Technology Holdings Co., Ltd Company has made many achievements this year, including attracting investment and establishing subsidiary companies. CEO Jeon Yun-sik of E-wireligner | CEO Lee Jin-kyu and General Director Lee Nam-geun of SuFAB Inc. Ewha Womans University Technology Holdings Co., Ltd has a total of four subsidiary companies, starting with E-wireligner founded in 2016, followed by SuFAB, U2Bio, and I Say Lab. The first subsidiary company, E-wireligner, is a research firm certified by the Ministry of Science and ICT that holds Korean and international technology patents for patient-tailored bracket-less dental braces that use bio-fiber coated wire made of shape memory alloys. Along with GMP (ISO13485) certification, it has gained a foothold for entering global markets by acquiring FDA approval as well as approval from Korean authorities. It has developed state-of-the-art dental braces that are less irritating, less painful, and aesthetically pleasing. E-wireligner has made notable achievements by signing agreements and sales contracts with Korean and overseas university hospitals and orthodontic clinics. Founded in 2019, SuFAB is a company that develops 3D designs and food and medical bio products and acquired KS Q ISO 9001 certification in October this year. As a research firm certified by the Ministry of Science and ICT, researchers at SuFAB are accelerating the development of future food and alternative meat (artificial and cultured meat) by producing protein fibers with autonomous mobile fiber manufacturing devices. (From left) Jo Tae-yun, CEO of E2BIO, and Professor Kim Soojin, Lim Kyung-min, Nam Sang-Jip of Ewha | Bae Hyun A, Vice President of the Ewha University-Industry Collaboration Foundation, and Yim Dong-seon, CEO of I Say Lab Established in August 2020, E2BIO is a research firm certified by the Ministry of Science and ICT and possesses patent for technology on anthranilic acid, a natural substance derived from marine sediment. An Ewha-based research team, including Professor Lim Kyung-min from the Department of Pharmacy and Professor Nam Sang-Jip from the Department of Chemistry & Nano Science, is collaborating with the company in cosmetics development as technical advisors, and is planning a new product with the aim of developing whitening cosmetics with high functionality but fewer side effects using natural materials. I Say Lab, which was established in November 2020, is developing a new type of contact-free language therapy service platform equipped with the following functions: automation of language development screening, evaluation for language processing ability, analysis on spontaneous speech using STT technology, and education for parents and experts. President Bahn Hyokyung of the University-Industry Collaboration Foundation of Ewha said, “We plan to actively expand investment for outstanding startups with high growth potential by creating a fund to commercialize technology through collaboration between alumnae, students and faculty.” He also added, “We will strive to transform Ewha into a hub for innovative growth and balanced development by actively supporting the entire process of commercializing outstanding technologies, including creating intellectual properties, promoting technology transfers and launching start-ups.”
- No.547
- Writer
- Date2020.12.22
- Views14018
546
Ewha Holds EJO Joint Symposium between Korea and Japan to Cultivate Female Talents in Science

The College of Natural Science held the 11th Ewha Womans University-Japan Women’s University-Ochanomizu University Joint Symposium on Friday, December 11 in Room 204 of Pharmaceutical Science Building A. The symposium has been jointly held by Ewha’s College of Natural Science, Japan Women’s University, and Ochanomizu University since 2001 with the aim of fostering female scientists, and exchanging students and research activities. Since then, it has grown into one of Ewha’s representative international academic exchange programs in the field of science and engineering, and has been co-hosted and regularly organized by the Ewha Department of Pharmacy since 2014. President Kim Heisook (left) and Dean Yang In Sang (middle) Delivering welcoming remarks, President Kim said, “Ewha shares the value of raising female leaders in the 21st century with Japan Women’s University and Ochanomizu University, and I am confident that the EJO Symposium, co-hosted by the three universities, is contributing to the realization of this common goal.” Dean Yang In Sang of the College of Natural Sciences then announced the opening of the EJO Symposium, which was held online for the first time, saying “This symposium has been held under the goal of promoting the education and research efforts of female scientists in the 21st century. We are approaching closer to achieving this aim through a long history of various academic exchanges and friendly relations.” Professor Kim Wooseong from Ewha’s Department of Pharmacy and Professor Hideki Mabashi-Asazuma from the Department of Food and Nutrition at Ochanomizu University were the keynote speakers of this year's online symposium, which was livestreamed simultaneously in Korea and Japan. In the student session, 10 graduate students from Ewha and Ochanomizu University gave oral presentations and engaged in discussions to strengthen international networking and gain experience as next-generation female leaders in science and engineering. At the closing ceremony, Professor Kei Yura at Ochanomizu University and the chairperson of the Japanese organizing committee announced their commitment to holding another symposium next year, saying, “I would like to extend my gratitude to the professors and students who participated in today’s event, and to the members of the organizing committee for their efforts in hosting the EJO symposium so successfully in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
- No.545
- Writer
- Date2020.12.16
- Views8881
544
Ewha Enhances Its Global Network by Participating in Various Online Events

Despite the significant slowdown of global exchanges due to COVID-19, Ewha is strengthening its alumnae network and continuing to engage with universities around the globe by utilizing contact-free services. Participating in the 2020 Online Plenary Session of the Ewha Womans University United Alumnae Chapters of North America and the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors of the International Foundation for Ewha Womans University To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the International Foundation for Ewha Womans University and solidify Ewha’s network in the U.S., President Kim Heisook attended the 2020 Plenary Session of the Ewha Womans University United Alumnae Chapters of North America and the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors of the International Foundation for Ewha Womans University from November 5 to 8. The 2020 Plenary Session of the Ewha Womans University United Alumnae Chapters of North America, titled “MEGA 2020 Dallas”, was hosted by the North Texas branch of the Alumnae Association and was held online for the first time this year via the official YouTube channel of the Ewha Womans University United Alumnae Chapters of North America. President Kim Heisook attending the Annual Meeting of the International Foundation for Ewha Womans University with its board of directors Meanwhile, President Kim attended the Annual Meeting of International Foundation for Ewha Womans University based in New York, which was held at 11 p.m. on Sunday, October 31, introducing Ewha's core strategies and vision and sharing Ewha’s current progress and future of fostering female leaders. The International Foundation for Ewha Womans University, which marks its 50th anniversary this year, is a non-profit organization founded in 1970 for sponsors, alumnae and their families in the United States and Canada to support Ewha. Ewha Continues to Conduct Exchanges with Universities in Asia by Attending the International Conference and Delivering a Keynote Speech In addition, President Kim was invited to participate in an online forum for university presidents, which was co-organized by the Malaysian National University (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia) and Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT, Akademi Kepimpinan Pendidikan Tinggi) on Tuesday, November 17. Celebrating its third anniversary this year, the forum was held under the theme of “Women’s Leadership in International Higher Education.” Women presidents from various organizations attended the online forum via Zoom as panelists, including those from the Malaysian Institute of Science and Technology, Massay University of New Zealand and National Cheng Kung University of Taiwan, along with 300 Malaysian government officials, university professors, and students who participated in the event and Q&A session with panelists. On the following Friday, November 27, President Kim was invited to the second International Conference on Women's Development, hosted online by China Women's University, as a female leader in higher education who represents Asia to deliver a keynote speech titled “Women’s Leadership in International Higher Education in the Post-Pandemic Age and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.” President Kim Heisook attending a forum hosted by National University of Malaysia (left) and giving a keynote speech at an international conference hosted by China Women's University.
- No.543
- Writer
- Date2020.12.14
- Views8015
542
Ewha Ranks 2nd in 2020 National Customer Satisfaction Index for Private Universities

In the National Customer Satisfaction Index (NCSI) Survey conducted and published by the Korea Productivity Center, Ewha Womans University was ranked second place in the category of private universities in Korea, continuing a steady rise since reaching fifth place in 2018 and third place in 2019. Now in its 23rd year, the NCSI Survey was developed with the aim of improving quality competitiveness among corporations and the quality of life among the public. The survey is conducted annually by the Korea Productivity Center and widely used in recognition of its representation and reliability. In the results of the 2020 NCSI Survey conducted on students at 15 private universities in the Seoul metropolitan area, Ewha won 76 points, which is three points higher than the average of 73 among all universities surveyed. In particular, the school was evaluated well above average in indexes such as Customer Satisfaction, Customer Expectation, and Customers’ Perceived Value, securing its highest rank in the last decade. Ewha’s ability to ensure high satisfaction in its services is founded upon its educational principle of respecting each student's unique characteristics and autonomy. Founded in 1886 as the first modern educational institution for women in Korea, Ewha Womans University has since strived to cultivate creative and convergence female talents in line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution while preserving 134 years of history and tradition. Under the vision of “Women Intellectuals Pioneering the Future,” the school provides a flexible academic system to support students in maximizing their convergence capabilities.
- No.541
- Writer
- Date2020.12.08
- Views9230
540
Ewha Holds “1st Sweden-Korea Nobel Memorial Program” Online Symposium

Ewha Womans University co-hosted the 1st Korea-Sweden Nobel Memorial Program in collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden in Seoul, Korea, on Tuesday, December 1. Launched for the first time this year, the online symposium is a venue designed to expand the knowledge on research and achievements of each category of the 2020 Nobel Prizes and to discuss science, economics, and literature with the general public. Amid the increasing importance of basic science and the growing interest and expectations of the Korean people towards winning a Nobel Prize, Ewha Womans University and the Embassy of Sweden in Korea co-hosted this event to provide a platform for sharing knowledge in an accessible way for the general public to foster interest in the Nobel Prizes among younger generations. At the opening ceremony broadcast live on YouTube on Tuesday, December 1, Swedish Ambassador Jakob Hallgren remarked, “It is of great significance that a new program was launched to reach the Korean public on the subject of this year's Nobel Prizes. I look forward to revitalizing cooperation between the two countries in research and development and education related to the fields of science and technology and the humanities.” Swedish Ambassador to Korea Jakob Hallgren (left), President Kim Heisook (center) delivering a welcoming speech In her welcoming message, President Kim Heisook noted, “Ewha opened a new era by producing the first female physicist and chemist in Korea, and has endlessly devoted itself to the field of science and technology by dedicating great efforts into research and innovation. It is a great pleasure to announce that Ewha’s legacy and capacity of innovation played a significant role in this event.” Under the sponsorship of the Embassy of Sweden in Korea, four leading Swedish universities (Lund University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Gothenburg University, Umeå University) and Ewha Womans University, as well as domestic institutions such as the Korean Academy of Science and Technology and the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, participated in this program, which consists of three symposiums on the academic subjects of this year’s Nobel laureates in Science, Economics, and Literature. The symposium on economics, jointly hosted by the Swedish Embassy and Ewha Womans University, was held from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm. During this session, Professor Olof Johansson-Stenman at the University of Gothenburg and President Choi Byung-il of the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies offered in-depth presentations on the two U.S. economists who won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Economics for “Inventions of New Auction Formats.” Professor Johansson-Stenman (left) and Professor Choi Byung-il (right), presenters for the economics session
- No.539
- Writer
- Date2020.12.01
- Views8062
538
Ewha Entrepreneurship Center Hosts “Startup Forum: Yes Way, Startup This Way”

The Ewha Entrepreneurship Center (Director Bahn Hyokyung) held the “Startup Forum: Yes Way, Startup This way,” which consisted of special lectures by startup entrepreneurs from Ewha and a talk show featuring Ewha alumnae who are currently working at startup companies. The forum was broadcast live on Tuesday, November 17. The Startup Forum was a venue designed to provide a foothold for Ewha students who wish to start a business, and to establish a network between alumnae entrepreneurs and current students. It consisted of a variety of programs, such as special lectures and mentoring sessions by Ewha alumnae startup CEOs and a talk show featuring Ewha alumnae who work in startups, to provide information about business startups and ventures that are often difficult to find. The forum was successfully held online through YouTube and Zoom with 150 participants that included not only Ewha students but also the general public. Held at the ECC Career Lounge, or “Nae:il Lounge,” the forum started with video interviews of the CEOs of vegan cosmetics company Melixor and the high-quality toothpaste brand Rucipello, which were founded by Ewha graduates. Subsequently, special lectures were delivered by CEO Kim Hee-jin (Department of Computer Engineering, graduating class of 2005) of ULike Korea, a smart livestock healthcare management company, and CEO Ahn Shin-Young (Department of Statistics, graduating class of 1996) of HB Investment, a venture capital firm that invests in small and medium-sized companies. In the event’s finale, a talk show was held in which rookie alumnae who are founders, employees, and investors in startup companies introduced their work and vividly talked about their working experiences and advantages of startups. Content Convergence student Kim Na-yeon, who participated in the forum, said, “By meeting Ewha alumnae who currently work in startups, I was able to learn about the latest trends in the field and think about the spirit of entrepreneurship after listening to their vivid stories of working with startups. It was a meaningful experience to be able to approach the market and startups not only from the CEO’s perspective, but also from those of employees and investors.” Meanwhile, the Ewha Business Incubator Center conducted the e-commerce education program Techup Academy for startup founders in their early stages and creators in October and held a seminar for companies in the style tech sector in November, in an effort to support Ewha alumnae startup founders, and to discover and foster promising venture companies.
- No.537
- Writer
- Date2020.11.24
- Views8406
536
Research Team Led by Professor Goo Taeg Oh Publishes Article in World’s Top Academic Journal Circulation

(From left) Dr. Sejin Jeon, Prof. Goo Taeg Oh, and Tae Kyeong Kim (PhD candidate) Professor Goo Taeg Oh (the corresponding author), Dr. Sejin Jeon (the lead author), and PhD candidate Tae Kyeong Kim (second author) from the Department of Life Sciences discovered the athero-protective role of soluble Ninjurin-1 (short for “nerve injury-induced protein 1”, Ninj1) as a novel anti-inflammatory cytokine that is released from alternatively activated macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques. In summary, Ninj1 is a novel MMP9 substrate of plaque macrophages and sNinj1 is a secreted atheroprotective protein that regulates macrophage inflammation and monocyte recruitment in atherosclerosis. Because soluble Ninj1-mediated anti-inflammatory effects are conserved in humans, soluble Ninj1 mimetics could be useful therapies for coronary artery disease. On Tuesday, November 3, the article containing the research findings, titled “Anti-Inflammatory Actions of Soluble Ninjurin-1 Ameliorate Atherosclerosis” was published in Circulation (IF 23.603; Circulation.2020;142:1736-1751). Atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease, causes much morbidity and mortality worldwide, including stroke, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and sudden cardiac death, which may cause sudden death in severe cases. For the treatment of such vascular diseases, a new method has recently emerged in academia that develops therapeutic agents from antibodies or proteins that regulate the activation of specific factors. In 2001, the research team led by Professor Goo Taeg Oh newly discovered a plasma membrane protein named Ninj1 as a small adhesion molecule related to vascular diseases. His team and collaborators also found that Ninj1 occurs mainly in cancer-related or inflammatory diseases and is involved in cell-to-cell interaction. However, the function and biological relevance of Ninj1 and its soluble form in atherosclerosis remain unknown. Dr. Sejin Jeon and Tae Kyeong Kim (PhD candidate) from the Department of Life Sciences generated Ninj1 knock-out mouse and Ninj1/Apoe double knout-out mouse as GEMs (genetically engineered mice) made by embryonic stem (ES) cell-based gene targeting technology. Then, they performed atherosclerotic phenotyping in vivo and successfully separated immune cells from single cell suspensions prepared form atherosclerotic aortas of mice for single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis. scRNA-seq analyses revealed that Ninj1-expressing monocytes and anti-inflammatory macrophages among alternatively activated macrophages and resident macrophages, but not dendritic cells. They found that macrophage Ninj1 was directly cleaved by MMP9 to generate a soluble form (sNinj1) that exhibited anti-atherosclerotic effects, as assessed in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, they revealed that not only treatment with the sNinj1-mimetic peptides inhibited pro-inflammatory functions in human and mouse pro-inflammatory macrophages, but also the continuous administration of them alleviated atherosclerosis by inhibiting the enhanced monocyte recruitment and inflammatory characteristics of this disorder in mice, regardless of the presence of Ninj1. Professor Goo Taeg Oh commented, “In this study, we present the first in vivo evidence that Ninj1 is a novel MMP9 substrate in macrophages, and further show that its soluble form reduces human and mouse atherosclerosis. Furthermore, we demonstrated soluble Ninj1 has an anti-inflammatory and atheroprotective effect through preclinical studies of mimetic peptides. Our findings highlight the potential of a soluble form of adhesion molecule as a therapeutic target for atherosclerosis treatment. We expect that our findings will be applied in the development of useful therapies for coronary artery disease, as well as in vivo translational research."
- No.535
- Writer
- Date2020.11.20
- Views14166
534
Research Team Led by Prof. Lee Sang-Hyuk at Department of Life Science Publishes Findings in Nucleic Acids Research

The research team led by Professor Lee Sang-Hyuk from the Department of Life Science in the Ewha College of Natural Sciences developed the world's largest CRISPR screening database and published its research findings in the top-rated international academic journal Nucleic Acids Research (impact factor of 11.501, top 4 percent) on Monday, November 2. The research is expected to enable the development of innovative treatments and new drugs based on the iCSDB, an integrated database of screening data based on characteristics of human cells and CRISPR-Cas9 genetic scissors. The study was conducted by Dr. Choi Ah Young, a member of Professor Lee Sang-Hyuk's research team, as the lead author in a joint study with the Korean Bioinformation Center (co-corresponding author Lee Byung-wook). CRISPR-Cas9, which is being referred to as third-generation genetic scissors, is a gene-editing technology that can selectively remove or edit specific genes through the high-precision manipulation of the DNA of various living organisms. Compared to previous technologies, CRISPR-Cas9 has the advantage of allowing easier and more accurate editing of specific genes, which is introducing a revolutionary impact on the advancement of life science and medicine. In addition, a library-based screening technique that applies CRISPR-Cas technology to all human genes is currently seeing widespread usage in discovering targets for new drug development and conducting various molecular science research. The iCSDB, developed by the Ewha research team, is an integrated database that combines DepMap Portal that includes three large-scale CRISPR screening projects and BioGRID ORCS that provides CRISPR screening sources for genes. Through the iCSDB, 1,375 pieces of CRISPR screening data were collected for 976 human cell lines including CRISPR gene editing results for up to 70 cancer types, thereby constituting the world’s largest data collection of its kind. On top of that, the research team established a user-friendly web environment to allow users to easily access information on any cell line they are interested in, and implemented various means including infographics to promote easy understanding of the effects of gene editing, all of which are expected to offer significant help to researchers in related fields around the world. Professor Lee remarked, "We expect the iCSDB developed in our research to help identify the causes of treatment resistance for various carcinomas and subsequently the development of new treatments that can overcome treatment resistance. In the future, we plan to develop innovative new drug targets or new treatments through drug screening and integrated analysis of transcriptome data for the same cell lines."
- No.533
- Writer
- Date2020.11.16
- Views13929

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