SNU and MUST Celebrate First Graduates of Dual Master's Degree Program in Urban Planning
20 Years of Academic Cooperation and KOICA Support Bear Fruit in Mongolian Expert Training


▲ T.Enkhjin (left) and M.Munkhkhisig (right), the first graduates of the dual master’s degree program jointly operated by Seoul National University and the Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST), received their degrees in August.

Seoul National University (SNU) College of Engineering announced that the dual master’s degree program jointly operated by SNU and the Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST) has produced its first graduates.

At the 79th Summer Commencement Ceremony held at SNU’s Gwanak Campus on August 28, T.Enkhjin (28) and M.Munkhkhisig (28) were awarded master’s degrees, marking the first time students have received degrees from both institutions through this collaborative urban planning engineering program.

This milestone is considered one of the key achievements of the S-Quad Project (Project Lead: Prof. Jaeyoung Kim, SNU), an international cooperation initiative funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) aimed at establishing a Department of Urban Planning Engineering at MUST and strengthening urban development expertise in Mongolia. It also reflects the culmination of nearly two decades of academic exchange and partnership between SNU's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the School of Civil Engineering and Architecture at MUST, dating back to 2006.

Launched in July 2022, the S-Quad Project established the first-ever accredited academic department for urban planning engineering in Mongolia, creating bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs. As part of the project, a dual degree system was implemented, allowing students to study under joint supervision by faculty from both universities and earn degrees from both institutions.

The two graduates completed one year of study at MUST and one year at SNU, receiving comprehensive academic and research guidance from professors at both universities before successfully earning their degrees.

Graduate M.Munkhkhisig expressed her gratitude, “Receiving education at both Seoul National University and Mongolian University of Science and Technology allowed me to explore urban planning in depth and develop perspectives essential for shaping Mongolia’s urban policy. I am deeply thankful to my advisors and to my family for their support throughout this journey.”

Fellow graduate T.Enkhjin added, “I sincerely thank my professors and everyone who supported me during the dual degree program. Studying at SNU was both a major challenge and a great opportunity for personal growth. I intend to apply the knowledge and experience gained here to contribute meaningfully to Mongolia’s urban development policies.”

Professor Jae Young Kim of SNU’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, who led the S-Quad Project, commented, “These first two graduates symbolize the success of our educational and research collaboration between Korea and Mongolia. Their graduation marks a virtuous cycle of policy, education, and research between the two countries. SNU and MUST will continue working together to further develop higher education in Mongolia’s urban engineering field and to train more urban planning professionals.” He also extended appreciation to KOICA, stating, “We are deeply grateful for KOICA’s generous support, which was instrumental in achieving these results.”

A representative from SNU College of Engineering stated, “This first successful case of dual-degree graduates between SNU and MUST demonstrates the impact of the S-Quad Project in cultivating highly trained professionals in the field of urban planning engineering. The program is becoming a model of international academic cooperation between Korea and Mongolia and is expected to rapidly spread as a new global standard for urban development collaboration in Northeast Asia.”.


[Contact Information]
Da-Hye Yim, Researcher, Institute of Construction and Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University / +82-2-880-7374 / gmg1012@snu.ac.kr