The foundation for achieving SDG 17
#Volunteerism #Problem-solving type

Hanyang University has established a social service course as a participatory, hands-on course in line with its founding philosophy of "Love in Deed and Truth" and requires students to complete it.

The social service course is a process in which students directly participate in society and develop social innovation capabilities, and it presents all students who pass Hanyang University with a true leader who can closely experience a diverse community, lead the society, and evaluate at the problems of society.
The social service courses are operated in four semesters: the first semester, the summer season semester, the second semester, and the winter season semester, and in 2023, 3,817 students participated to practice love. Students taking the social service courses will go directly to the field of their choice after completing two hours of required literacy education and perform 30 hours of volunteer work.
After completing their service, students must write a reflection on their experience which is required to earn one credit of social service courses.

Beginning in the winter semester of 2022, The Voluntary Service System, allowing students to directly recruit institutions registered in 1365 or VMS will be available each semester.
The Voluntary Service System is an additional program to the existing programs offered by the school, allowing students to choose their own organizations, giving them the opportunity to participate in community service regardless of geographic location.
The Voluntary Service System gives students more options for service organizations and programs, and encourages them to seek them out and get involved.
This fosters a deeper understanding and interest in the community, and develops social innovation talent through direct involvement in social issues.
In the 2023 academic year, 88 students completed the voluntary service system (40 in the first semester, 28 in the summer session, 7 in the second semester, and 13 in the winter session), indicating a very high participation rate with all those who applied completing the program.

As a leader in social innovation at Korean universities since 2018, Hanyang University has been organizing its activities in conjunction with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were agreed upon by 192 countries of the United Nations, to be achieved between 2016 and 2030 for the sustainable development of all humanity.
Hanyang University has been providing opportunities for students to think about and participate in the problems facing humanity globally in the process of completing social service courses.
In 2023, Hanyang University students were most interested in Goal 4, Quality Education (2,014, 52.8%), followed by Goal 12, Sustainable Consumption and Production (645, 16.9%), Goal 2, Ending Hunger (319, 8.4%), Goal 3, Health and Wellness (256, 6.7%), and Goal 11, Safe, Resilient, and Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements (229, 6.0%). The percentage of students who participated in these five targeted activities was 90.8%, confirming that Hanyang University students are passionate about their studies, committed to providing a quality life for society, and interested in experiencing jobs in the field.