[Campus] Funding the Future: KHU’s First Academic Symposium Sparks Innovative Financial Ideas
How has KHU discussed the increased tuition fee so far?
● Kyung Hee University Raises Tuition by 5.1% for the First Time in Sixteen Years
On November 7, the Academic Symposium on Finance and Revenue was held for the first time at Kyung Hee University (KHU) Seoul Campus. The symposium was designed to explore KHU’s own internal revenue models for sustainable financial structure. With students’ growing interest in the University’s financial structure due to the tuition increase, the symposium opened a space for students to discuss their creative ideas.
Unstable Financial Structure: KnocKH Seeks Alternatives
KHU is one of the universities that relies heavily on tuition revenue. On a regional average, other universities receive about 50% of their annual budget from tuition fees. However, KHU stands at 61.2%, more than 10 percentage points higher than the regional average.
Because of this high dependency, the lack of alternative revenue sources makes KHU more vulnerable to fluctuations in tuition income. For example, Yonsei University operates the well-known Yonsei Milk Cream Bread business, generating additional revenue that helps reduce financial risks beyond tuition. In contrast, KHU’s commercial ventures, such as Kyung Hee Bogam, do not hold a similar level of brand power or profitability, leaving the University more reliant on students’ tuition payments.
To address this issue, KnocKH organized the symposium to explore student-led profit models that reflect KHU’s unique identity and values. Beyond mere non-tuition profit creation, the event aimed to provide students with an opportunity to discuss practical and sustainable ways to strengthen the University’s financial autonomy.
Innovative Ideas Based on KHU’s Signature Strengths
Eight finalist teams presented their ideas to a panel of five judges from different departments. Each team gave a 10-minute presentation, followed by a 10-minute question-and-answer session.
Baek Ga-rim’s team presented a Humanitas Liberal Arts Content Platform for middle and high school students. It features KHU professors’ lecture content edited into online lectures and newsletters. This project also provides opportunities for student supporters to engage in the editing process, not only enhancing the value of KHU’s Humanitas spirit but also offering students both educational and professional experiences. A participant also proposed a Taekwondo-related business, noting that it is one of KHU’s signature national-level departments.
Park Joo-hyung’s team presented the KHU Taekwondo Partnership, which leverages the strong reputation of the KHU Dept. of Taekwondo. The program aims to build a verified network of Taekwondo gyms and launch a related merchandise business.
Nam Yeon-seo’s team proposed “KHU Run,” a marathon event utilizing the scenic campus and landmarks to promote KHU’s image as a center of culture, tourism, and education.
Health-related Project Proposals Also Poured In
Grand Prize winner Moon Deok-lyong is presenting the Medi-KHU project
In line with the trend of leveraging KHU’s signature strengths, diverse health-related projects were also proposed.
Cho Keon-hee’s team proposed the KHU Korean Medicine Health Subscription Platform—an artificial intelligence (AI) based service combined with traditional Korean medicine. This provides customized health solutions through regular subscription.
Moon Deok-lyong’s team also introduced an AI model. The team presented “Medi-KHU,” a personalized digital healthcare platform integrating the KHU Medical Center, the KHU Oriental Medicine Hospital, and the KHU Dental Hospital. Using AI, the system connects fragmented appointment services, provides personalized health management plans. Additionally, it generates revenue through subscription fees and anonymized health data sales to insurance companies.
In addition to AI-based healthcare services, some teams proposed featured food-production ideas.
Kim Geun-tae’s team suggested developing a Korean Medicine-based Hangover Cure, merging KHU’s traditional image with modern marketing through visually appealing packaging and social media promotion.
Moreover, Cho Woo-seon’s team introduced a Korean Medicine Health Food Brand, targeting global markets with wellness products such as herbal teas and health beverages that emphasize KHU’s image as a center of K-wellness.
Beyond human-targeted products, Yoo In-seong’s team suggested a proposal aimed at pets. The team suggested “KHU-pet,” a Korean medicine supplement brand for pets. The team found limitations in existing pet products from Kyung Hee Bogam, such as high prices and weak brand recognition. Their presentation proposed improving the palatability of herbal products and enhancing competitiveness through affordable pricing.
Innovation Recognized: Four Teams Take Home Top Honors
The award-winning teams, the judges, and President Eom posing for photo
After all the presentations were completed, four teams received awards at the symposium.
The Excellence Awards went to Park Joo-hyung’s KHU Taekwondo Partnership and Baek Ga-rim’s Humanitas Content Platform, each receiving a certificate from the Dongdaemun-gu Office and a prize of 500,000 won.
The Best Award was granted to Yoo In-seong’s KHU-pet project, which received a certificate from the Seoul Metropolitan Council and 1.5 million won.
The Grand Prize went to Moon Deok-lyong’s Medi-KHU project, which earned a certificate from the Seoul Metropolitan Council and 3 million won in prize money. Moon expressed gratitude for the win, stating, “I am thankful for the opportunity provided by the organizers and judges. Though it was challenging to work alone without a team, I am glad that there was a positive outcome.”
Judge Ryu Seok-hee, the Director of KHU Business Incubation Center, praised the participants, stating, “The quality of the students’ presentations was outstanding.” He also mentioned that the ideas that did not receive awards could have a chance to be realized through the KHU Campus Town’s programs.
The Academic Symposium on Finance and Revenue served as a space for students to actively reconsider the University’s financial future. These student-led proposals and the discussions they sparked show that the diverse ideas presented—from cultural and educational projects to medical and AI-based projects—reflect KHU’s academic diversity and potential for financial sustainability.
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