By Contributing writer Jin Young Heo

 

One afternoon while studying alone on a bench located outside the KI building, I received an unexpected phone call from the Dean of Student Affairs. Thanks to President Suh's personal wish for two students to accompany him on his business trip, the Dean told me that I was granted a week off from my monotonous life at school for an exciting and insightful experience in Europe. 

 

Visiting a science research institute in a country I had never been to before definitely left me a striking impression. Copenhagen as a city had a vastly different landscape compared to any of the places I have lived in in that no skyscrapers were visible. This is supposedly due to the laws restricting the construction heights that consequently influenced the way the DTU campus is shaped. In contrast to KAIST, DTU's campus is on a wide, flat and open field that is rectangular in its overall shape. In addition, the campus had a peaceful yet static atmosphere from the classrooms to the vacant spaces in between buildings. 

 

Out of the laboratories and classrooms we visited during the university tour, one aspect that was pointed out was the difference in DTU's and KAIST's research focus. The biology-related labs emphasized macro-scale research areas involving the study of microorganisms, compared to the research done at KAIST that is more on a molecular level. Here we definitely saw a potential area for mutually beneficial research exchange and collaboration. 

 

Other laboratories, especially that of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, also provided something vastly different. Instead of many work desks stacked with advanced academic textbooks, there were instead machine parts and tools. Many of the labs had heavily hands-on oriented research, with a main focus on automotive engineering and manufacturing. KAIST offers more variety on research areas, including humanoid robots, electric cars and thermo-based dynamics. The key aspect to keep in mind is that DTU's approach towards engineering was more practical than theoretical, a different approach to ours though we cannot say one is more preferable to the other. Rather, it is advisable for the two approaches to complement each other.

 

What gave me a completely mind-blowing impression on this school was perhaps the annual commemoration. It involved the school faculty members, special guests including our KAIST group and of course, the students. Our president mentioned several times how he was amazed at the capacity of the school to provide dinner for over three thousand people. From the school orchestra playing during the commemoration ceremony, the student representative giving speeches along with the best professor award ceremony, I got the impression that this school integrates well the various communities on campus together to form a strong bondage. This was in fact one of the key features of DTU that KAIST needs to set as a good example and long-term goal.

 

The closing comment from the Dean of DTU was as follows: "The engineers in DTU consider themselves entrepreneurs. Therefore it is necessary for these students to be outgoing and liberal, unlike those in the pure science departments." This indeed blew me away - to have the Dean make such a statement was a big surprise. 

 

We arrived in Berlin, Germany, and I noticed some differences at the sight compared to that of Copenhagen. It was more than obvious that we were in one of the largest cities in Germany, and there clearly were more sporty cars on the roads. The Germans looked different from the Danes  even in the way they treat their customers or simply the way they converse. The German culture emphasizes directness and promptness in all their matters, which can make them look less friendly and at times even rude. But that also changed when we met the student tour guide who led the tour around Berlin. 

 

Heiko was the student assistant from the International Relations Team in TUB. Throughout the tour, he was well-prepared with his explanations and plans. With a fully handwritten script in his hands, he took us to the best places in Berlin without hesitance. His eagerness undoubtedly changed my bias towards the German culture and suggested to my mind how the German automobile industry became so successful and dominant in the world. 

 

One of the main problems that not only Germany but also the rest of the non-English speaking world face is the adoption of English as the main language. I have seen and heard that some of the European countries are reluctant to give up their national languages for English, the so-called international or the empiricist's language. Compared to the Danish, the Germans were noticeably less competent in English. It took several hours to find the train station because no one, even the head staff at the information desk, could give us the directions in English. The question is this: does efficiency and globalization justify the dominant use of English as the language in any country or culture? This is in fact debatable but only time will tell, for this debate has been a hot potato for centuries, with both sides of the argument remaining strongly supported. One thing for sure though is that if Germany wishes to become more internationally accessible, English education must be enforced with greater emphasis.