Yonsei University

Yonsei University (Korean: 연세대학교; Hanja: 延世大學校) is a private Christian research university in Seoul, South Korea. Yonsei University is one of the three most prestigious universities in the country, part of a group referred to as SKY universities.

Yonsei University traces its roots to the first modern medical center in Korea, Gwanghyewon (Korean: 광혜원; Hanja: 廣惠院; lit. 'House of Extended Grace') founded in April 1885, now Severance Union Medical College. The institution in its current university form was established in January 1957 through the union of Yonhi College (연희전문학교; 延禧專門學校) and Severance. As a tribute, the name "Yonsei" was derived from the first syllables of the names of its two parent institutions, "Yon; 연; 延" from Yonhi College and "Sei; 세; 世" from Severance Union Medical College. Yonhi College was one of the first modern colleges, founded as Chosun Christian College (조선기독교대학; 朝鮮基督教大學) in March 1915. The union was a result of a lasting bilateral cooperation between the colleges that began in the 1920s. The institutions were the first of their kinds in Korea.