[PMI] PNU Host Program Providing Support Beyond Classrooms

Pusan National University (PNU)’s “PNU Host Program,” which pairs international student mentees with university staff mentors to support their adaptation to life in Korea, has consistently received high satisfaction ratings.

On November 20th, 2024, PNU International announced that the satisfaction survey for the “PNU Host Program” showed that over 90% of respondents rated the program as “satisfactory” or higher, with a satisfaction rate of 90.32% in 2022 and 90.91% in 2023. Launched in 2015, the program operates as a mentoring system for international students, with PNU staff members serving as mentors. 

The program supports international students through activities such as safety education, international exchange, study guidance, course and academic registration assistance, daily life guidance, career counseling, extracurricular activity support, graduation guidance, competition application, and talent sharing. Lee Na-Hyun (Manager, Division of General Affairs) who has served as a mentor for two years, shared, “I wanted to help international students starting their academic journey in Korea while also engaging in cultural exchange. I joined the program to assist students in overcoming any difficulties they might face during their university life.”

International students expressed that their mentors played a vital role in helping them adjust to life in Korea. Galbadrakh Buyandelger (Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering, 22), in her second year of participation in this mentoring program, said, “Initially, I struggled with language and cultural barriers, but my mentor team’s open-mindedness and understanding helped me overcome these challenges.”  

Another participant, Buyanbat Boloroo (Dept. of Industrial Engineering, 22), reflected, “When I first came to Korea, I had many questions about both classes and daily life but didn’t have anyone to ask. Now, whenever I face a problem, I can rely on my mentor. Thanks to my mentor, living in Korea has become much easier.”

Despite the high satisfaction rates among participants, the program garners less attention compared to other support programs for international students. For instance, a recent recruitment post for the “PNU Host Program” received six times fewer views than the “PNU Buddy Program,” which pairs PNU students with exchange students on a one-on-one or one-on-two basis (as of November 18th, 2024).

Applications for the “PNU Host Program” are open every spring semester. During the application period, students can access the PNU Student Support System under “Campus Life” - “Mentoring (Foreign Student Mentoring)” to view mentors’ plans, key items, and introductions, and select their mentors on a first-come, first-served basis. The program is available to undergraduate and graduate students, but exchange and leave-of-absence students are excluded.

Reporter Thadar-Soe

Translated by Thadar-Soe