Dear Sungkyun Family,

Honorable Chairman Jung Don SEO and former presidents of the university,

President of Alumni association Yong Taek YUN and distinguished guests!

Today, I stand solemnly as I am inaugurated as the 21st President of the glorious Sungkyunkwan University. I am honored to be able to open a new era in our prestigious university along with everyone seated here.

Sungkyunkwan University is a national university with 621 years of glorious history and shining tradition. The university has led the development of higher education in Korea by challenging and innovating with the mind of sharing and coexistence. Now as a ‘Global Leading University’, we will contribute towards the prosperity and development of the humanity along with other prestigious universities in the world.

Dear Sungkyun Family!

Recently, the environment in higher education has reached the turning point. New forms of technology such as Artificial Intelligence, software, 5G and robotics are calling for creative values as it aims for a hyper-connected society. Universities are at the risk of extinction as they face fiscal and demographic cliff.

But Sungkyunkwan University has always turned crisis to opportunities. We have actively pushed for change and innovation without self-contentment. Now we must create new values in order to overcome crisis and change. It is time for us to gather our wisdom and show courage to move on to the future.

Today, I would like to suggest a new vision, “Becoming a Global Leading University that achieves student success and future value”. The specific actions plans are:

First, we will put ‘Student Success’ as our core value.

Today, our knowledge and technology has advanced explosively and the world has become closer than ever. Now our paradigm on the higher education must change. University should no longer be a medium for the simple transmission of knowledge but a space for students to develop and manage their values for a successful life in the future society.

From this viewpoint, I propose to initiate an educational innovation centered on three points for “Student Success”. The first point is ‘Less teaching, more learning’. Second point is to expand ‘creative convergence education’. Lastly, our university was the first to open a ‘Student Success Center’. We will establish a solid system of student success support and create a campus environment that embrace all kinds of students.

             Second, we will focus on the ‘Social Impact’ that creates future value.

Our university will now aim for a qualitative growth in order to rise as a world-renowned university. We will take the responsibility to create future value and resolve global issues as we are now a global university.

We will construct a ‘Convergent R&E Cluster’ and activate convergent/compound research, which transcends individual majors and campuses. By having a practical cooperation between the Humanities and Social Sciences Campus, Natural Sciences Campus and Samsung Medical Center, joint research among the school system will be activated. Also, we will rise as a ‘Top Global 50 University’ by expanding global researches using global networks of our researchers.

              Third, we will rise as an entrepreneurial university that leads the new industry.

The university needs to be an active partner of the company, government and the world to become a communicative and cooperative platform. We will aid our professors for research accomplishments to expand technology transfer/commercialization and contribute in creating added value for our society. We will invite global companies and research institutes to our campus to achieve smooth industrial-educational cooperation. Especially, we will create a new cooperation model with the global company, Samsung.

              Fourth, we will do our best to create university community and campus culture.

For the university to push ahead a sustainable development, it needs to become a community that shares vision and objective. During my presidency, I will devote myself to create campus culture and brand that symbolizes the spirit and traditions of Sungkyunkwan University. I will try my best to create a brand that contains the founding philosophy of 修己治人and ‘成均’(Sungkyun) in particular.

Dear Sungkyun Family!

In order to realize ‘Student Success’ and create ‘Future Value’, communication and cooperation among its members are crucial. It is impossible to achieve school’s vision without the communication and participation of members. I will open a venue for professors, faculty, students and alumnus to share opinions for the development of the university. I will offer different channels for multi-directional interaction and communication. I will take the initiative to create a single Sungkyunkwan community which values ‘us’ over ‘I’ and shares the philosophy and value of the university.

There is a phrase in the Analects which best represents my current feeling: “任重道遠”. It means that “the responsibility is heavy but there is a long way to go”. But with everyone, I am not fearful. I will write a new history along with fellow members of the Sungkyunkwan community. Let’s dream big. I will lead the way.

Thank you.

2019. 01. 08