Sogang University (hangul: 서강대학교 hanja: 西江大學校) is one of the leading research and liberal arts universities in Seoul, South Korea. The University was established in 1960 by the Society of Jesus to provide education based on the Catholic beliefs and inspired by the Jesuit educational philosophy, such as Georgetown University in the U.S and Sophia University in Japan. It ranked 1st in Korea among 4-year universities without medical schools in JoongAng Ilbo University Ranking Evaluation in 2008 and 2nd in Korea in terms of reputation of graduates' ability in Chosun Ilbo University Ranking Evaluation in 2009. In addition to providing university education, the Korean Language Education Center at Sogang teaches Korean as a foreign language to students from around the world. At the initiative of the Catholic Hierarchy of Korea, Pope Pius XII gave assurance that an institution of higher learning would have been founded in Korea. Later he entrusted the task to the Society of Jesus(Sep,1948) Fr. Theodor Geppert, S.J. from Sophia University in Tokyo came to Korea and started searching for a suitable site to establish a Jesuit college in Korea.(Oct,1954) Fr. Leo Burns, S.J.