KAIST

To all incoming students, welcome, and congratulations on your first year at KAIST.

I was looking forward to seeing you at the matriculation ceremony but, regretfully, we cancelled the ceremony due to the novel coronavirus(COVID-19) situation. I hope you understand that this decision was made for your safety and health. I sincerely hope we can overcome this global crisis and will soon be able to see each other on campus, healthy and safe. Now, I would like to extend my congratulations and officially welcome all incoming students.

KAIST was established in 1971 as Korea’s first research-oriented graduate school, when the nation was in its early stage of industrialization. In 1984, KAIST opened its undergraduate programs and has since produced 66,676 alumni, including 13,750 Ph.D. holders. Over the past half century, often called the “Miracle on the Han River,” KAIST has played a crucial role in successful industrialization, informatization, and innovation and has emerged as the best S&E university in Korea.

Many say “Without KAIST, there wouldn’t be Korea as we know it today,” which indicates our status in Korea. KAIST is also considered a World-Class University, an institution known to every scientist and educator in the world.

Celebrating its semicentennial anniversary in 2021, KAIST is setting its sights beyond being a World-Class University and becoming a Global Value-Creative Leading University, one that will help the nation be a global game changer in the years ahead.

We can make this happen thanks to the values shared by all of the members of KAIST. Those values, or the C³ spirit, consist of a Challenging spirit to explore the road not taken, the Creativity to solve global issues with creative ideas, and a Caring mind to consider the prosperity of our neighbors and humankind.

As new members of KAIST, you are asked to embody the values of the C³ spirit to develop into respectful leaders who will drive the prosperity and progress of human society in the future.

Dear incoming students,

You are at a new starting line in your lives. There is a saying in Korea, “Well begun is half done.” When I look into the lives of successful individuals and look back on my own, I sometimes think “Well begun is 99% done,” because the importance of the beginning cannot be stressed too much.

During your undergraduate years, you should prepare to grow into world-class specialists. I would like to give you three pieces of advice for this important time of your lives.

First, explore basic subjects extensively.

We are witnessing the great wave of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This new industrial era will be a period of meta-convergence for inventions and discoveries that transcend the boundaries of different disciplines.

To stay globally competitive amidst this grand transformation, it is essential to have solid fundamental knowledge and multidisciplinary convergent capabilities. To comprehend various subject areas extensively, you will need an extensive and solid basic knowledge, which is why you need to study basic science and engineering. No matter which major you choose, I ask you to familiarize yourselves with artificial intelligence. In addition, I recommend you also dive into humanities, social sciences, and arts to gain wisdom, insight, and sensibility.

Second, dream big and develop the qualities required of global leaders.

You can grow as much as you dream. As talented science and engineering students, you have to look beyond Korea to the world. Your studies should ultimately be for the progress of the entire world and human history.

If you envision becoming global leaders, you will need to prepare for the future. You will also have to equip yourselves with excellent communication skills. In particular, English is now a prerequisite for leaders in global society. Therefore, I recommend Korean students to work hard during your undergraduate years to develop your English language skills. On the other hand, I recommend the international students to work hard to develop Korean language skills.

Third, make friends from various backgrounds.

I am certain that the friends you make during your college years will enrich your lives. I hope you make many new long-lasting friendships during your time on this campus.

Socializing with friends from diverse backgrounds will help you grow as global citizens. Your friendships with international students will also become valuable assets in your future career.

Dear freshmen,

You are the reason why KAIST is here.

All of our faculty members are ready to teach you in every possible way. Staff and alumni are willing to help you at all times. As the president of KAIST, I will be always on your side and support you for your success. Contact me anytime you need help.

Invest your next four years at KAIST, and KAIST will give you a very promising future in return.

Together with KAIST, start your first meaningful and rewarding year with dreaming a global innovator who will advance human civilization, with dreaming a global mover who can pioneer the future of humankind, and with dreaming a global shaper who will help make our society better.

I once again congratulate you on starting your first year at KAIST and look forward to seeing you on campus in person very soon.

February 26, 2020