Nils
Clauss
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Documenting Academic Life at UIC and Yonsei University

Underwood International College students unwind in a stylish, modern lounge at Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.
Photographing Underwood International College

Underwood International College (UIC) stands as a testament to academic excellence. It seamlessly blends American-style liberal arts education with Korea’s rich research university resources. As a Seoul based photographer, I had the privilege of capturing the essence of UIC through my lens. This is an honor complemented by the European Architectural Photography Prize in 2011.

I photographed Underwood International College as part of an ongoing collaboration in Seoul. The work focused on how architecture, learning, and daily campus life come together in one place. UIC combines an American-style liberal arts education with the broader resources of a Korean research university. From a photographic point of view, this creates a setting shaped equally by structure and movement.

Life and Learning at UIC

UIC is an English-language institution that brings together students and faculty from many countries. Classes follow a common curriculum designed to encourage interdisciplinary thinking and discussion. Rather than documenting lectures directly, I focused on spaces where learning continues between classes. Walkways, libraries, and shared areas reveal how students interact with the campus on a daily basis.

Yonsei University in Context

UIC sits within Yonsei University, one of Korea’s long-established private universities. Yonsei traces its history back to the mid-20th century and plays a central role in the academic landscape of the city. As part of Korea’s so-called SKY universities, Yonsei holds a strong reputation for academic achievement. Its campus reflects this history through a mix of older buildings and newer facilities.

Global Presence and Academic Reach

Yonsei maintains an international profile across several disciplines. Its programs in areas such as social sciences, business, health, and psychology attract students from both Korea and abroad. This global presence shapes campus life. While photographing, I paid attention to how international and local perspectives overlap in shared spaces.

Returning to the Campus

I was invited more than once to document life at UIC and Yonsei. Each return offered a chance to observe the campus with fresh eyes. Rather than repeating the same images, I focused on subtle changes in light, use, and rhythm. Receiving the uropean Architectural Photography Prize in 2011 remains a meaningful milestone for me. It reinforced an approach centered on observation rather than spectacle.

Visual Storytelling in an Academic Setting

Photographing academic spaces requires patience. Buildings matter, but people give them meaning. For this reason, the work stays close to everyday moments instead of formal representation. Through photography, I aimed to reflect how education unfolds quietly through movement, exchange, and time.

Looking Back

This work at Underwood International College and Yonsei University became an ongoing study of learning environments. It connects architecture with daily life and shows how education shapes space. As a photographer based in Seoul, documenting these campuses offered a way to observe how global and local ideas meet within a shared academic setting

Two Underwood International College students find a quiet moment in the pods near the library at Songdo campus, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.
A couple of Underwood International College students collaborate in a spacious, modern workspace at Songdo campus, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.
Smaller groups of Underwood International College students relax in an outdoor rest area featuring a long bench on the Songdo campus of Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.
Two Underwood International College students browse the bookshelves in the library at Songdo campus, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea, searching for the perfect book.
Two Underwood International College students focus on their class preparation in a spacious hall at the Songdo campus of Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.
Two female Underwood International College students discuss their assignments in an entrance hall, set against a striking glass and steel facade at Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.