– Received AACSB accreditation twice, a recognition granted only to the top 5% of business schools worldwide
– “70-70-70”: Over 70 nationalities among students, more than 70% international student ratio, and over 70% international faculty — a truly global business school
With countless local governments and educational institutions across Korea hosting job fairs, DIOTIMES conducted a special interview regarding a unique recruitment fair that stood out from the rest.
DIOTIMES: Dean Joshua Park, it’s a pleasure to meet you. We heard about the success of the SolBridge Global Job Fair (SJF2023), held in November, and wanted to hear directly from you. To begin, could you please introduce SolBridge International School of Business for our readers?
Dean Joshua Park: SolBridge was established in 2007 under the mission of “Educating the Next Generation of Asian Thought Leaders,” and it positions itself as the only truly global business school in Korea. We are the only private university outside the capital region to be accredited by AACSB (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), a distinction given to only the top 5% of business schools globally. SolBridge was awarded AACSB accreditation in record time and successfully accredited in 2016 and again in 2022. Furthermore, we were the first in Northeast Asia and the only institution in Korea to receive the AACSB Innovations That Inspire Award — twice — further elevating Korea’s reputation in business education. All our courses are taught in English, based on a 100% American-style curriculum. As reflected in our “70-70-70” slogan, we maintain a brand identity of welcoming students from over 70 countries, with more than 70% international students and over 70% international faculty.
DIOTIMES: Even from that brief introduction, it’s clear that SolBridge is pursuing a very different path from most other universities. The phrase “Born Global and Diversity” seems to describe its identity perfectly. We heard that the SolBridge Global Job Fair (SJF2023), held on November 9, was also unique in its own right. Could you tell us more about it?
Dean Joshua Park: This year’s SolBridge Global Job Fair, ‘SJF2023,’ was the first recruitment event in Korea tailored specifically for international students. Following last year’s debut, we hosted the second edition under our own brand, SJF (SolBridge Job Fair), and it has now become a well-known global job fair among both students and companies. We created a dedicated website for SJF2023, where our trained students uploaded their resumes and self-introduction videos in advance, allowing participating companies to pre-screen candidates online before the in-person event. Meanwhile, companies provided customized recruitment content tailored to our students’ needs, enabling attendees to target specific firms and come well-prepared, leading to deeper engagement and meaningful career discussions during the fair.
DIOTIMES: The success of a job fair is often measured by the quality of participating companies. What companies took part in this year’s event?
Dean Joshua Park: A total of 26 domestic and international companies participated in this year’s job fair, including firms from Korea, the U.S., Canada, Japan, and Malaysia.
Top global companies such as Expedia, Adecco, Concentrix, Apple Developer Academy, and HRnetGroup participated, along with excellent Korean mid-sized companies and agencies like Changshin Group, Tobis, Creabiz, and U.S.-based recruiting firms handling Korean conglomerates.
Considering this was a private event exclusive to SolBridge, the participation of such firms carries significant meaning and presented a rare opportunity for our students.
DIOTIMES: It’s surprising to see so many prestigious companies at an event hosted by a university in Daejeon, not even in Seoul. What do you think enabled this?
Dean Joshua Park: As mentioned earlier, unlike typical job fairs that simply connect companies and job seekers, we’ve thoroughly prepared and trained our students well in advance. We brought in Professor Joon-Ki Han, former CHRO at Microsoft, eBay, and CIGNA, as Head of Career Development & Placement, and collaborated with external HR consulting firms to deliver comprehensive training programs — from career discovery and goal setting to resume writing, personal branding, and video interview production.
Students not only developed hard skills but also cultivated professional attitudes and soft skills that companies seek.
DIOTIMES: SolBridge clearly invested a great deal in its students. It’s rare to see this level of institutional support for job readiness.
Dean Joshua Park: Exactly. On our official SJF2023 website (solbridge.kr), students uploaded resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and video introductions that companies could review well before the event, resulting in some pre-event interview invitations. We also categorized student profiles by country, desired roles, and language skills to enhance accessibility and convenience for recruiters.
DIOTIMES: It sounds like a win-win situation that benefitted both companies and students. This must have increased students’ sense of belonging and satisfaction with the university.
Dean Joshua Park: Absolutely. Among the 217 students who participated in person, satisfaction averaged 4.59 out of 5.00, which is very high. We ensured that companies’ information was available on our official website in advance, allowing students to prepare thoroughly. As a result, second and final interviews continued after the event, and to date, nine students have received job offers, including four who secured positions at Korean conglomerates like LG and CJ in the U.S. We expect more successful outcomes in the coming weeks.
DIOTIMES: That’s an impressive result. Congratulations again. We also heard there were some special guests?
Dean Joshua Park: Yes, Mr. Sohn Pilhoon, Director of the Daejeon Employment and Labor Office, delivered the keynote address, emphasizing the importance of connection and recruitment. His attendance signals strong local government support, and he pledged further collaboration. We also invited Sydney Fortowsky, a foreign influencer active in Korea, to share her “Korean Dream” success story, which drew great interest from our international students.
DIOTIMES: It seems like the SJF2023 brand has truly taken root. What are your plans moving forward?
Dean Joshua Park: Our goal is to continue enhancing our educational system and providing high-quality programs to fulfill our mission at SolBridge. We want to contribute talented graduates to both the global community and the local region. We won’t stop at the current success of SJF2023 — we will further innovate our job fairs, connect more companies and students, and ultimately build a virtuous cycle where our university’s brand grows, top international students enroll, and go on to build meaningful global careers.
DIOTIMES: Thank you for taking the time for this interview.
Dean Joshua Park: Thank you, and we hope for continued interest in SolBridge.
– SolBridge International School of Business: https://solbridge.ac.kr
– SolBridge Global Job Fair (SJF2023): https://solbridge.kr
– SolBridge International School LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/solbridge-international-school-of-business
– SolBridge Career Development Center LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/solbridge-cdc
