Dearly beloved KAIST Family
The year of 2025, the year of the Snake(乙巳年) is upon us.
By lunar calendar, the year 2025 is the Year of the Snake. It is said that Snakes symbolize changes and quick wit. As so, I hope and pray that this year will prove to be another important milestone for all members of KAIST Family as we embrace these qualities to bring about significant innovation and to reach new heights.
Over the past four years, since I have assumed the role of the president, KAIST has undergone many changes. It was a period of disruptive changes ranging from social and economic disruptions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing digital transformation, and global supply chain crisis.
Despite these challenges, KAIST has made great strides. I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on our achievements and outline what lay ahead. For this, I have brought the same PowerPoint slides I used at my inauguration four years ago.
Looking back, one of KAIST’s key strategies for achieving success has been to follow proven models. However, as this approach has its limits in terms of ensuring sustainable growth, I have introduced Q.A.I.S.T. — a new cultural strategy for KAIST to take its new path into the future.
As you all know, QAIST is built around five key strategic areas: Question, Advanced Research, Internationalization, Startup, and Trust.
First, Question - Cultivating Curious Minds. Our students must dream big and venture into broader worlds. When you dream big, little things can’t bother you. In order to do so, students need to develop a habit of asking questions with curiosity about their fellow human beings and the world while they are still in school.
For this, I have expanded discussion and question-oriented classes to encourage students to engage beyond their core subjects. I have also encouraged students to have a sense of gratitude toward humanity, society, and our country
Additionally, to stimulate creative thinking, I introduced open-ended questions and exams where students create their own problems. At the same time, I’ve worked to establish a reward system focused on promoting teaching excellence for our professors.
To help students cultivate big dreams, I established the School of Digital Humanities and Computational Social Sciences in order to promote the integration of digital technology, science, humanities, and the arts. I also began efforts like the ʻʻ1 Lab, 1 Bookʼʼ initiative and supported the KAIBookClub to strengthen the atmosphere to encourage reading. Furthermore, I have sought to create a culture to embrace failure by establishing the KAIST Center for Ambitious Failure, organizing Failure Week, and introducing a reward system for learning from failure.
Second, is A for Advanced Research - We are living in an age of AI. While everyone speaks of AI, I emphasized how KAIST must prepare for the time to come after AI — the post-AI era.
To secure ourselves good positions in the emerging industries, we launched innovative academic programs, including the Graduate Schools of AI Semiconductor, Quantum Science and Technology, Engineering Biology, and Green Growth & Sustainability, as well as the Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences. Additionally, we secured approximately 570 billion KRW in research funding by attracting largescale research groups focused on national strategic technologies. To advance in the New Space era, we established the KAIST Space Institute.
Third, I, for Internationalization. KAIST is committed to becoming a global bridge university by enhancing internationalization of the campus, making global expansions, and promoting international collaborative research.
To this end, we formed a strategic partnership with New York University(NYU) to establish the KAIST-NYU Joint Campus, created 15 joint research groups, and launched initiatives such as student exchange programs and the dual appointment of professors.
Fourth, Startups. Under the vision of "1 Lab, 1 Startup", we have redefined key systems and revised regulations to strengthen KAIST's focus on technology commercialization and the startup ecosystem.
To enhance support for student startups, we removed the restriction on the duration of leave of absence and established KAIST Holdings to boost commercialization and revenue generation. As a result, the number of startups founded by faculty and students each year has surged to be around 130. KAIST is now ranked 12th globally and 1st among domestic universities for the number of registered U.S. patents. Moreover, the five-year survival rate of KAIST student startups stands at an impressive 91.7%, far outperforming other universities.
Finally, I have always stressed the value of Trust among all aspects of KAIST’s operations. Through the ʻʻ1 Lab, 1 Serviceʼʼ initiative, I created opportunities for research labs and administrative units to participate in volunteer work at least once a year, fostering a culture of collaboration and community services.
To ensure financial operations built on trust, we actively pursued not only government and local government sponsorships but also private donations. As a result, we exceeded our goal of raising 100 million KRW per day for development funds and successfully removed the designation of being a public institution. Moreover, through initiatives such as First Tuesday Talk, KAIST Leadership Innovation Day, and the Absurdity Forum, we enhanced communication with our members and fostered a transformative shift of mindset.
Respected members of KAIST Family,
At my inauguration, I shared the belief: “If you believe that it can be done, it is already done.” There were some who would question about how a university in Korea would rise to be one of the world’s top institutions. Yet, just as Samsung surpassed Sony, Hynix outperformed Intel, and BTS took the Billboard charts by storm, I am confident that one day, KAIST will surpass MIT, an institution that stands before us today.
The night sky is filled with countless stars, each shining brightly in its own unique way. These stars do not compare themselves to the other as they shine. They each radiate their distinct light in their own color. Over the past four years, KAIST has worked diligently to become a university that shines in its own unique manner. I believe that our students and faculty are not in competition with others but are on a path to discover and embrace their individual brilliance.
Through these efforts, we have cultivated a deep sense of faith and confidence in ourselves. We no longer measure our success against others, but instead recognize that each of us shines brightly, like a star in our own right.
We have also gained confidence as a global university. Today, when we go abroad, we can clearly feel that KAIST's global standing has risen significantly. Moreover, the trust the public has in KAIST has grown considerably.
The number of applicants for both undergraduate and graduate programs has surged, and government grants, donations, and sponsorships from the City of Daejeon has climbed steadily. Additionally, despite challenging circumstances, our efforts to secure research funding have been highly successful.
However, we still face significant challenges that must be addressed. South Korea is now faced with the situation in which the GDP growth is limited compounded with a decline in population due to low birth rate and aging society. In this context, KAIST too may encounter constraints on its growth.
The population decline could make it more difficult to attract outstanding students and faculty, while limited government funding for research will place restrictions on available resources. This situation is akin to a plant growing in a small pot: to help it thrive and expand, we must increase the size of the pot.
In this challenging environment, KAIST must broaden its global presence. Many universities and institutions worldwide are eager to collaborate with us in research and education, presenting valuable opportunities for growth and innovation.
First, KAIST has established a joint campus with NYU in New York and is in the process of developing a campus in Silicon Valley. In Asia, we are forging close collaborations with Taiwan's Formosa Group, while in the Middle East, we are expanding partnerships with the UAE, and in Africa, we are strengthening ties with Kenya.
By establishing KAIST branches in different parts of the world and strengthening collaborations, we can attract top-quality students and secure research funding from around the world. Through these global partnerships, I believe we can overcome the growth limitations we face domestically and expand our reach on a global scale.
Globally, we will send our students abroad, attract top talents and secure research fundings from overseas countries and pursue initiatives that are difficult to undertake in Korea. Through these efforts, KAIST will establish itself as a key hub for global education and research.
The achievements we have made so far are the result of our collective effort and collaboration among all KAISTians. I extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed to these successes.
As we welcome the new year, I wish you all good health and happiness. Thank you.
January 1st, 2025
KAIST President
Kwang Hyung Lee