Silla University Aims to Become a Leading University in the Animal-Assisted Pet Industry

Animal-Assisted Support (AAS) Hub Center to Launch in September

Shilla University (President Heo Namsik) will establish an Animal-Assisted Support (ASS) Hub Center to realize 'One-Welfare,' where both animals and people can be happy together.

Shilla University will open the Animal-Assisted Support Hub Center on September 1, aiming to play a central role by training experts in animal-assisted therapy and intervention, developing related programs, and supporting services to address various local community issues.

Shilla University offers majors such as Companion Animal Studies, Counseling Psychology and Welfare, Social Welfare, and Education, which are directly or indirectly related to the field of animal-assisted intervention. This enables smooth cooperation among experts from each field, positioning the university as a leader in animal-assisted services.

Members of the Animal-Assisted Support Hub Center are working to specialize by completing the animal-assisted specialist course at the Institute for Human-Animal Connection (IHAC), an affiliate of the University of Denver in the United States. Professionals with extensive experience in psychological counseling, such as certified counseling teachers, are assigned to practical roles to design and plan a variety of programs.

Furthermore, the center plans to build industry-academia cooperation models and platforms in the companion animal industry, sign agreements with local organizations such as education offices and counseling centers, launch animal behavior correction and training courses, and pursue international certification by joining IAHAIO (International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations) as a full member.

Through the operation of the Animal-Assisted Support Hub Center, Shilla University expects to provide significant support not only to students in the Companion Animal Studies department but also to students who own companion animals, by offering practical education in animal-assisted therapy, developing Animal-Assisted Education (AAE) programs, and providing crisis and group counseling services related to animal-assisted services.

Bae Ilkwon, director of the Shilla University Animal-Assisted Support Hub Center, stated, "The center's primary goal is to solve problems through various community contribution activities centered on animal-assisted services," adding, "You will be able to encounter the Shilla University Animal-Assisted Support Hub Center in various fields such as children's hospitals, nursing homes, social welfare centers, and public libraries."