CEOs to Help Select Freshmen at Hanyang Univ.

Chief executive officers will help select college freshmen as admissions officers.

Hanyang University announced yesterday the introduction of a CEO admissions officer system this year to choose talented students with the potential to grow into entrepreneurs.

The university said the system will be a meaningful experiment because it will effectively respond to criticism from business that universities have failed to produce talent workers that companies need.

The CEOs will choose five students this year on a trial basis. In document screening, students who want to be entrepreneurs will be sorted out and interviewed by former and current CEOs, along with university staff. Each student will be interviewed by three teams of admissions officers comprising two CEOs and one university official.

While college admissions officers will assess basic scholastic aptitude, ability to study a major, and high school activities of students, the CEOs will focus on potential and business experience.

Hanyang University President Kim Jong-ryang said “There have been discrepancies between the need of companies and that of universities. Companies have been disgruntled with the lack of ability of college graduates.”

“The new system will allow business experts to select the talented on one hand, and enable universities to give a tailored education to those who aspire to be global entrepreneurs on the other.”

The university chose 10 former and current CEOs as admissions officers: LIG Insurance CEO Koo Cha-joon; LG Chem adviser Roh Gi-ho; president of The Center for Global Entrepreneurship at Hanyang University Ryu Chang-wan; Komax Chairman Byun Bong-deok; MAC Architects Consultants Group Chairman Lee Soon-jo; Samwoo ENC Chairman Chung Kyu-soo; BMW Korea President Kim Hyo-joon; Korea Venture Investment President Kim Hyung-ki; Humax President Byun Dae-kyu; and BIT Computer President Cho Hyun-jung.

Normally, universities use professors and former university presidents as external admissions officers.

Roh, who is expected to lead the CEO admissions officers, said, “CEOs must have different perspectives than professors,” adding, “Our experience in screening new employees and working with other businessmen will be greatly helpful in assessing students.”

MAC Chairman Lee said, “Until now, universities have failed to separate the wheat from the chaff in selecting students. They’ve also failed to provide an education fitting each student’s desire and ability,” adding, “We as admissions officers will select future entrepreneurs and help them grow into competent businessmen in the globalized world.”

Students selected by the CEOs will take select courses from the Center for Global Entrepreneurship, which opened July 8, in addition to regular courses.

Center president Ryu said, “Certain entrepreneurs don’t know how to interpret balance sheets and what constitutes breach of trust. Some even allow their wives to use company credit cards.”

“We will teach students practical skills through hands-on experience, such as strategies to run venture companies, venture finance and mergers and acquisitions, and corporate accounting.”

The university plans to add high-ranking government officials, journalists and legal experts as admissions officers this year at the earliest or next year at the latest.

minki@donga.com