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Workshop on High Risk, High Return Projects Slated for Jan. 14 KAIST will hold the first workshop on "high risk, high return" projects at its Creative Learning Center on Jan. 14. Under the leadership of President Nam-Pyo Suh, KAIST has instituted high risk, high return research-support programs to encourage creativity and innovation in research activities. Professors and graduate students can apply for HRHR funding any time they have creative ideas that they believe deserve support by the university"s HRHR program. Once they prove the validity of their ideas, they can then go for the special HRHR funding. The HRHR support does not prevent researcers from applying for any outside sponsorship. Although the program has been in existence for only a short time, the results are encouraing, university authorities said. Research projects currently underway on such innovative ideas as "transforming ice to icy fuel and ice-like magnets," "mini-lunar lander mission," "mobile floating harbor for increased container handling capacity" and "marine oil spill protection robot design." During the workshop, a total of 44 research subjects which were picked up in 2008 will be presented. Presentations will be made focused on the three categories; idea, research procedures and current status. Among the 44 research ideas, 40 came from professors and four from students. Posters showing the research content of the 44 subjects will be on display also.
2009.01.08 View 11920
KAIST Fall Culture Festival 2008 Cheers Up Campus The 2008 KAIST Fall Culture Festival, featuring classic and rock concerts, a musical, a piano recital, chamber music, pantomime and dance performances and other glittering programs, is lively underway on an open campus, warming the hearts of students and faculty as well Daejeon citizens. The annual cultural event kicked off on the night of Sept. 8 with the 4th "Rocklassic" at the KAIST Grand Auditorium. The KAIST Orchestra, the "AdliB" vocal and rock band and the "Toionire" traditional music team presented "KAIST Moon Night" consisting mainly of variations from movie, drama and animation theme music. Since the 1st KAIST Rocklassic performance was held in 2004, introducing a number of instruments developed with the artistic ingenuity of the members of the KAIST community, the unique musical event drew growing interest from the KAIST family and music lovers of Daejeon. This year"s program included medleys from "Starcraft," "Taewangsasingi" and "Starwars," classic and composite performances of soloists and orchestra and the traditional percussion band Samulnori. KAIST President Nam P. Suh remarked that the Rocklassic and other programs in the Fall Cultural Festival have quenched the cultural thirst of KAIST members and Daejeon citizens year after year with highly artistic but popular performances in the limitless genres of music both traditional and Western, drama and dance. Free admission allowed lively mingling of students and faculty with a wide spectrum of the local community, he noted. The Fall Festival continued with fusion musical "Yojigyong (Madangnori Kaleidoscope)" by Theatre Sae-byuk (Dawn), a leading Daejeon-based drama troupe, on Sept. 26, a recital by prominent pianist Kim Jung-ja on Oct. 10, and a concert by Heart-Heart Chamber Orchestra on Oct. 30. Prof. Kim, now teaching at Boston Conservatory, aptly chose Beethoven Sonata "Moonlight" for her opening repertoire. The November events had a pantomime, "Empty Hands" by Theatre Momzit (Gesture), on the 5th at the Grand Auditorium, a dance performance by the KNUA Dance Company, made up of students at the Korea National University of Arts in Seoul, on the 7th, and a night of classic music with the Japanese "Collegium Serendip Ensemble" led by Genzoh Takehisa on the 14th. The KNUA"s String Ensemble, the top-notch group of emerging talents, will provide the finale of the campus cultural festival with Grieg, J.S. Bach and Tchaikovsky on the night of Dec. 5 at the Grand Auditorium.
2008.11.13 View 9423
KAIST, Microsoft Research to Set up Research Collaboration Center KAIST, Korea"s premier institution for science and technology research and education, and Microsoft Research (MSR), the research arm of Microsoft Corp, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish a joint research collaboration center in Korea on Oct. 20. The research collaboration center to be located at the KAIST campus in the Daedeok science and technology town 150 kilometers south of Seoul will be dedicated to promoting joint researches, curriculum innovation, talent fostering and academic exchange in the Asian region. The MOU signing ceremony at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul was attended by President Nam-Pyo Suh and Vice President Soon-Heung Chang from KAIST, and Craig Mundie, Chief Research and Strategy Officer of Microsoft Corp, and Hsiao-Wuen Hon, Managing Director of MSR Asia from Microsoft. “We are excited to be working so closely with Microsoft Research,” KAIST President Suh said. “This is the first of many alliances we hope to establish with the world’s industrial leaders that will enable us to resolve some of the toughest problems in computer science and accelerate the next generation of innovation in computing technology and its application in other scientific researches.” Dr. Hon said: “For over 10 years, Microsoft Research has been committed to working with leading universities throughout Asia to spur computer science research and to strengthen Asia’s knowledge economies by helping foster their capabilities. The Microsoft-KAIST Research Collaboration Center demonstrates our continued efforts to strengthen relations with universities in Korea and build new partnerships with academia here.” In the last three years, Microsoft Research and KAIST have engaged in close collaboration through research projects, student support programs, and various academic exchange activities. One of the major projects was to construct software development library specifically dedicated to systems biology. A number of excellent students from KAIST participated in the internship program at Microsoft Research in Beijing, China and Redmond, United States. The establishment of the Microsoft-KAIST research collaboration center will bring the collaborative relations between KAIST and MSR to a new level. The center will provide a platform which unites the innovative minds of KAIST and Microsoft Research to develop technologies that will impact the way people live, learn, work, and play, a KAIST spokesman said.
2008.10.30 View 18012
Research University Presidents Discuss Global Network to Increase Cooperation Presidents and leaders of research universities participating in the 2008 International Presidential Forum on Global Research Universities (IPFGRU) held at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul, Korea on Sept. 8, 2008 exchanged views and ideas on how to build and effectively utilize a global research network in order to increase cooperation and exchanges among institutions of science and technology across the world. The participants agreed on the need to promote the sharing of expertise and facilities, conduct joint researches and positively implement dual degree, roaming professorship and other programs that help institutions in societies at different stages of scientific and technological development maximize the fruits of their research activities. As a major goal, the participants agreed to create alliances for research and education that can become a new paradigm for global cooperation, with the outcome of discussions at the 2008 IPFGRU providing the guidelines for future endeavors in this direction. Through the day-long symposium, participants reached general agreements on the following points: --The concept of sharing faculty or roaming professorship should be actively promoted in order to accelerate global dissemination of academic expertise with the institutions and state authorities concerned easing existing restrictions to such arrangements and ensuring maximum academic freedom of professors involved. --Dual degree programs especially those involving institutions of different countries need to be further encouraged in view of their benefits of resources sharing, expansion of knowledge and cultural exchanges and that educational authorities should try to remove various forms of limitations. --As competitions over university ranking would grow intensive as institutions seek to attract better students and more donations, there is need to institutionalize a fairer, globally recognized national, regional and international assessment systems. --In view of rapid expansion of interdisciplinary researches which calls for the sharing of facilities and expertise among different institutions, it is necessary to establish national or regional hubs to make state-of-the-art facilities and equipment available for researchers and research programs experiencing limitations in financial and material resources. --National governments and political leaders should better recognize the importance of science and technology for societal and global prosperity and the science and technology community needs to make more communicative approaches to politicians so that greater trust may be built between them. --Arrangements to conduct joint research involving international industries, academia and government should be accelerated with a view to addressing the common problems facing the mankind in the 21st century, including energy, environment, water, food and sustainability. The United Nations and other international organizations need to provide stronger support for research universities’ efforts in this direction. --Research universities across the world should make concerted efforts to establish a global cooperative network that can facilitate the flow of information, resources and research personnel to realize universal advancement of science and technology and, ultimately, enhance the quality of human life. Keynote speakers and panelists and the subjects of their presentations were: Participants" List Topic Name of University Speaker Position 1. Roaming Professorships: To Whose Benefit? Illinois Institute of Technology John L. Anderson President Improving the Competitiveness of Global University Education National University of Sciences and Technology Muhammad Mushtaq Pro-Rector Improving the Competitiveness of Global University Education Tianjin University Fuling Yang Director of International Cooperation Office Sharing Differences in Culture and Environment for Sustainable Education for the Future Generation Kumamoto University Tatsuro Sakimoto President Sharing Differences in Culture and Environment for Sustainable Education for the Future Generation Odessa National I. I. Mechnikov University Sergiy Skorokhod Vice Rector for International Cooperation Promoting Science and Engineering Education among Secondary Students Czech Technical University of Prague Miroslav Vlcek Vice Rector Promoting Science and Engineering Education among Secondary Students South China University of Technology Xueqing Qiu Vice President Preserving and Utilizing Expert Knowledge for Better Education Eotvos Loran University Jösef Nemes-Nagy Vice Dean 2. Dual Degree Programs: Future Potential & Challenges University of Queensland Paul Greenfield President and Vice Chancellor Benefits of Dual Degree Program Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon Martin Raynaud Director, International Relations Benefits and Limitations of Dual Degree Program National Institute of Development Administration Pradit Wanarat Vice President for Academic Affairs The Role of Dual Degree Program Easing Brain Drain Nanyang Technological University Lam Khin Yong Associate Provost, Graduate Education & Special Projects International Dual Degree Programs and Strategies Georgia Institute of Technology Steven W. McLaughlin Vice Provost, International Initiatives Dual Degree Program and Global Learning Networks City University of Hong Kong Richard Yan-Ki Ho Special Advisor to the President Raising International IQs of Scientists and Engineers for Global Enterprise Technion, Israel Institute of Technology Moshe Shpitalni Dean, Graduate Studies Luncheon Speech “Beneficial Relationships between Academia and Companies” Medical Information Technology A. Neil Pappalardo Chairman and CEO 3. Sharing Facilities and Expertise KAIST Nam Pyo Suh President Promoting International Sharing of Research Facilities and Expertise to Strengthen Research Outcomes Griffith University Ian O"Connor President Economic Benefits of Sharing Research Facilities and Expertise POSTECH Sunggi Baik President Economic Benefits of Sharing Facilities and Expertise: National NanoFab Center National NanoFab Center Hee Chul Lee President Communicating Science and Technology to Political Leaders Office of the President of KOREA Chan Mo Park Special Advisor to the President for Science and Technology Filling the Gap of University Resources Bandung Institute of Technology Djoko Santoso Rector 4. An Approach to Joint Research Ventures with NASA NASA Yvonne Pendleton Deputy Associate Center Director Benefits of International Joint Venture Research Projects University of Adelaide Martyn J. Evans Director, Community Engagement Benefits of International Joint Projects Mahidol University Sansanee Chaiyaroj Vice President International Joint Research Projects University of Iowa P. Barry Butler Dean, College of Engineering Joint Research: University of Technology Malaysia’s Experience at National and International Level University Technology of Malaysia Tan Sri Mohd Ghazali Vice-Chancellor Sharing Intellectual Property Rights Paris Institute of Technology Cyrille van Effenterre President Global Economic and Social Contribution of International Joint Project Cooperation Kyushu University Wataru Koterayama Vice President 5. Globalization through Interfacing with Existing Networking Technical University of Denmark Lars Pallesen Rector Establishing Global Science and Technology Networking National Cheng Kung University Da Hsuan Feng Senior Executive Vice President Establishing Global Science and Technology Networking University of Technology of Troyes Christian Lerminiaux President The Role of Global Science and Technology Network for Higher Education in the 21st Century Iowa State University Tom I-P. Shih Department Chair Regionalized or Globalized Science and Technology Networking Babes-Bolyai University Calin Baciu Dean, Faculty of Environmental Sciences Globalized Science and Technology Networking Harbin Institute of Technology Shuguo Wang President Connecting Regional Science and Technology Networks for the Global Networking Ritsumeikan University Sadao Kawamura Special Aide to the Chancellor How Can a Publisher Strengthen the Global Network of Universities? Elsevier Youngsuk Chi Vice Chairman
2008.09.18 View 22558
World Research University Heads To Discuss Global Networking at KAIST Symposium About 70 leaders of the world"s major research universities will discuss how to strengthen and operate global networks to share faculty, students, facilities and other resources for common advancement at a symposium Monday, Sept. 8, at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul organized by KAIST, Korea"s foremost institute of science and technology education and research. Participants of the 1st International Presidential Forum on Global Research Universities are from 39 universities in 20 countries. They include nine presidents of Korean universities. The international symposium, the first such event to be held in Korea, will proceed in five panel sessions. The subjects of each session and their keynote speakers are: -- "Roaming Professorships: To Whose Benefit?" by Dr. John Anderson, president of the Illinois Institute of Technology, USA,-- "Dual Degree Programs: Future Potential and Challenges" by Dr. Paul Greenfield, president of the University of Queensland, Australia, -- "Sharing Facilities and Expertise" by KAIST President Nam Pyo Suh,-- "An Approach to Joint Research Ventures with NASA" by Yvonne Pendleton, NASA, and-- "Globalization through Interfacing with Existing Networking" by Dr. Lars Pallesen, rector of the Technical University of Denmark. KAIST President Suh said of the purpose of the conference: "Research universities have become global enterprises. Collaborations that were once primarily between individual researchers are now increasingly occurring at institutional and international levels. Similarly, educating students which used to be the responsibility of a single university has now become a multi-institutional undertaking, involving many universities in different countries. "Now leading research universities in many countries depend on the continuous supply of outstanding graduate students from the "feeder" schools of developing nations. There are concerns that the current system may not be serving the interest and need of some institutions, especially those in developing nations. This should be examined and understood to devise international mechanisms that can accentuate the positive aspects of globalization. "Through this forum, we hope to forge an international network of universities that will strengthen the effort of individual universities and create alliance for research and education that can become a new paradigm for global collaboration." Prime Minister Han Seung-soo will give a speech at a dinner after the conclusion of the symposium. President of the Korea International Traders Association Lee Hee-beom will make a welcoming address at the start of the conference. Co-sponsors of the international university presidents" forum include the Dong-a Ilbo, a major national daily, and the Dong-a Science magazine. The research universities presidential forum will be followed on Sept. 9 by an international academic workshop at KAIST"s Daejeon campus on EEWS (Energy, Environment, Water and Sustainability). Under the theme of "Challenges as Opportunities," research teams from MIT, CalTech, the Korean Ministry of Knowledge and Economy, KAIST Institute and KAIST EEWS team will present their research results at the workshop. Major Korean businesses, including SK Energy, GS Caltex and the Samsung Group will also introduce their research programs concerning EEWS, the most pressing prblems of today"s world. A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at the KAIST campus in the afternoon of the same day for the construction of the KI Building, which will house all the eight research institutes of KAIST. The KI for Bio Century, KI for IT Convergence, KI for Design of Complex Systems, KI for Entertainment Engineering, KI for Eco-Energy, KI for Urban Space and Systems, and the KI for Optical Science and Technology were established between 2006 and 2008. More than 230 professors from 18 departments have actively engaged in research activities in their respective fields. KAIST will start construction of the Pappalardo Medical Center in a ceremony on Wednesday with the attendance of Mr. Neil Pappalardo, chairman-CEO of Meditech Inc. of the United States who donated $2.5 million for the project. The medical facility for KAIST students, faculty and the residents of the university area will be completed in September 2009. The President"s Advisory Council (PAC) for KAIST will hold its 3rd general meeting on Sept. 10 to discuss KAIST"s short- and long-term strategies to become the world"s top-ranked research university. The PAC was formed in 2006 with 11 foreign and 14 domestic figures from the business and academic circles. Foreign PAC members include John Holzrichter, president of Fannie and John Hertz Foundation; Donald C. W. Kim, chairman of AMKOR A&E, Inc.; Chong-Moon Lee, chairman of AmBex Venture Group; Byung-Joon Park, founder of Bureau Veritas CPS, Inc.; Lars Pallesen, rector of the Technical University of Denmark. PAC members have advised the KAIST president on international publicity on KAIST"s academic excellence, fund-raising, and promotion of cooperative relations with overseas institutions.
2008.09.04 View 21208
KAIST to hold 2008 Int KAIST, Korea"s premier science and technology research university, will hold the 1st International Presidential Forum on Global Research Universities at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul on Sept. 8, 2008. Presidents of research universities in all regions of the world have been invited to the conference aimed primarily at identifying common issues and opportunities in strengthening globalization of higher education and research. Participants in the forum will exchange views and ideas on how to build and utilize global research network to promote the sharing of expertise and facilities, conduct joint researches and effectively implement dual degree and roaming professorship programs. KAIST President Dr. Nam P. Suh said of the purpose of the conference: "Research universities have become global enterprises. Collaborations that were once primarily between individual researchers are now increasingly occurring at institutional and international levels. Similarly, educating students which used to be the responsibility of a single university has now become a multi-institutional undertaking, involving many universities in different countries. "Now leading research universities in many countries depend on the continuous supply of outstanding graduate students form the "feeder" schools of developing nations. There are concerns that the current system may not be serving the interest and need of some institutions, especially those in developing nations. This should be examined and understood to devise international mechanisms that can accentuate the positive aspects of globalization. "Through this forum, we hope to forge an international network of universities that will strengthen the effort of individual universities and create alliances for research and education that can become a new paradigm for global collaboration." Keynote presentations will be made on the following five major subjects: -- Roaming Professorship-- Dual Degree Program-- Sharing Facilities and Expertise-- Joint Research, and-- Globalization through Interfacing with Existing Networking Leaders of the world"s major education and research institutions have been asked to lead panel discussions with their rich experiences in globalization programs. Following the conference in Seoul, participants are invited to come to the KAIST campus in Daejeon, about 150 kilometers from Seoul, where a symposium on EEWS (environment, energy, water and sustainability) will be held to examine the progress in interdisciplinary research activities in these vital problems facing the mankind and look for a new direction in international collaboration. Co-sponsors of the International Presidential Forum include the Dong-A Ilbo, a major national daily, and the Dong-A Science Magazine. Message from KAIST President Suh: Research universities have become global enterprises. Collaborations that were once primarily between individual researchers are now increasingly occurring at institutional and international levels. Similarly, educating students used to be the responsibility of a single university but has now become a multiinstitutional undertaking, involving many universities in different countries. These changes are a consequence of globalization and integration of the world’s economy. Temporal andgeographical separations are no longer barriers to the collective generation and transfer of knowledge andenlightened education. It is also a natural response to the demand for educated workforce who can functionin any country. Current globalization was preceded by the migration of graduate students who were seeking to fulfill theiraspirations for better education at the world’s leading universities. This international movement of studentshas benefited not only students but research universities as well. Now leading research universities in manycountries depend on the continuous supply of outstanding graduate students from the “feeder” schools ofdeveloping nations. There are some concerns that the current system may not be serving the interest and need of some institutions,especially those in developing nations. This should be examined and understood to devise institutionalmechanisms that can accentuate the positive aspects of globalization. The purpose of the International Forum of Research University Presidents, which will be held on Sept. 8 inSeoul, Korea, is to identify common issues and opportunities for research universities that further strengthenglobalization of higher education and research. Participants will hear diverse views and ideas and will learnfrom those who have been active in global education and research. Participants also will examine dualdegree programs that are already in place among many universities and the effective implementation of aglobal research network. Through this process, we hope to forge an international network of universities that will strengthen the effortof individual universities and create alliances for research and education that can become a new paradigm forglobal collaboration. Looking forward to meeting you in Seoul, Prof. Nam P. SuhPresidentKAIST Tentative Program(Theme: Global Science and Technology Networking) Sept. 7, 2008, Sunday 17:00 - 18:30 RegistrationSept. 8, 2008, Monday09:00 - 09:10 Opening Ceremony09:10 - 09:40 I. Keynote Presentation: Roaming Professorship09:40 - 10:20 Panel Presentations:- Improving the competitiveness of global university education- Sharing differences in culture and environment for sustainable education for the future generation- Promoting science and engineering education among secondary students- Preserving and utilizing expert knowledge for better education10:20 - 10:40 Open Discussion10:40 - 11:00 Coffee Break11:00 - 11:30 II. Keynote Presentation: Dual Degree Program11:30 - 12:10 Panel Presentations:- Benefits of dual degree program- The role of dual degree program easing brain drain- Global branch campus or dual degree program?- Raising international IQs of scientists and engineers for global enterprises12:10 - 12:30 Open Discussion12:30 - 14:00 Luncheon14:00 - 14:30 III. Keynote Presentation: Sharing Facilities and Expertise14:30 - 15:10 Panel presentations:- How to spin off international joint ventures from the sharing of research facilities and expertise- Economic benefits of sharing research facilities and expertise- How to communicate science and technology agenda to political leaders- Easing the gap between the developed and less developed regions through science and technology cooperation15:10 - 15:30 Open Discussion15:30 - 16:00 IV. Keynote Presentation: Joint Research16:00 - 16:40 Panel Presentations:- Benefits of international joint project- Ways to formulate the international joint projects- Sharing intellectual property rights- Global economic and social contributions of international joint project cooperation16:40 - 17:00 Open Discussion17:00 - 17:30 Coffee Break17:30 - 18:00 V. Keynote Presentation: Globalization through Interfacing with Existing Networking18:00 - 18:40 Panel Presentations:- Establishing global science and technology networking- The role of global science and technology networking for the higher education of the next century- Regionalized or globalized science and technology networking- Connecting regional science and technology networks for the global networking18:40 - 19:00 Open Discussion19:00 - 19:15 Closing Remarks by President Suh19:15 - 21:30 Banquet Venue: Westin Chosun Hotel, Seoul
2008.07.17 View 19909
President Suh to Receive Honorary Doctorate from Carnegie Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University of the United States has decided to present an honorary doctorate degree to KAIST President Nam-Pyo Suh, school authorities said on April 30. President Suh will receive the honorary degree during the university"s 111th commencement ceremony at its Pittsburgh campus on May 18. Suh earned his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon in 1964. Carnegie Mellon University said in a press release that Suh is honored for transforming KAIST into a world-class institution since he became president of KAIST in 2006. "His distinguished academic career has also included posts at the University of South Carolina and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as an assistant directorship for the National Science Foundation of the United States. Beyond his academic leadership, Suh invented an industrial process for production of plastic parts that is used in factories worldwide. He holds more than 50 patents and helped start several companies," the press release said. Five other prominent Americans will also receive honorary doctorate degrees from Carnegie Mellon along with President Suh. They are Al Gore, former U.S. vice president; Norman R. Augustine, former president and CEO of Martin-Marietta and Lockheed Martin and chairman of the American Red Cross; Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com, the world"s largest online retailer; Elizabeth Catlett, an artist and sculptor famed for her dedication to the rights of minorities and women; and Patrick Colonel Suppes, a professor emeritus at Stanford University. Carnegie Mellon, a leading research university of the United States is known for its distinctive mix of programs in engineering, computer science, robotics, business, public policy, fine arts and the humanities.
2008.04.30 View 13913
Int'l Herald Tribune Carries Feature Story on KAIST International Herald Tribune carried a feature story on KAIST"s ongoing reform efforts on the front page of its Jan. 19-20 edition. The following is the full text of the report. http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/01/18/asia/school.php South Korean science prepares to take on the world By Choe Sang-Hun Friday, January 18, 2008 DAEJEON, South Korea: In Professor Cho Dong Ho"s laboratory at Kaist, South Korea"s top science and technology university, researchers are trying to develop technology that could let you fold a notebook-size electronic display and carry it in your pocket like a handkerchief. It"s too early to say when something like this might be commercially available. But the experiment has already achieved one important breakthrough: it has mobilized professors from eight departments to collaborate on an idea proposed by a student. This arrangement is almost unheard of in South Korea, where the norm is for a senior professor to dictate research projects to his own cloistered team. But it"s only one change afoot at this government-financed university, which has ambitions to transform the culture of South Korean science, and more. "When we first got the student"s idea on what a future display should look like, we thought it was crazy, stuff from science fiction," said Cho, director of Kaist"s Institute for Information Technology Convergence. "But under our new president, we are being urged to try things no one else is likely to." That university president is Suh Nam Pyo, 71, a mechanical engineer who used to be an administrator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and who is spearheading closely watched changes that are expected to have ramifications far beyond this campus 90 minutes by car south of Seoul. His moves so far, from requiring professors to teach in English to basing student admissions on factors other than test scores, are aimed at making the university, and by extension South Korean society, much more competitive on a world scale. When the South Korean government hired Suh in 2006 to shake up the state-financed Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (which formally changed its name to its acronym, Kaist, on Jan. 1) the country"s leading schools faced a crisis. The old system, which guaranteed free tuition to lure promising students into science and technology, the drivers of South Korea"s industrial growth, was no longer working as well as it used to. Prosperity was allowing those young people to choose fields of study once viewed as luxuries, like literature and history. Worse, increasing numbers were choosing to study abroad, mostly in the United States, and then not returning home. The fear was that South Korean institutions and enterprises would be gutted of expertise. That concern was voiced at a news conference Monday by the president-elect, Lee Myung Bak, who said the educational system "isn"t producing talent that can compete globally." Kaist, which was established in 1971 with foreign aid, has a special place in South Korean education. The military strongman Park Chung Hee recruited the brightest young people to train there as scientists and engineers. Villagers put up a large banner to celebrate whenever a local child was admitted. "When I was a student here in the mid-1980s, some students stopped before the national flag at the library in the morning and observed a moment of silence, vowing to dedicate ourselves to the nation"s industrial development," said Cho Byung Jin, a professor of electrical engineering. Since his arrival, Suh has become the most talked-about campus reformer in South Korea by taking on some of Kaist"s most hallowed traditions. In a first for a Korean university, Suh has insisted that all classes eventually be taught in English, starting with those aimed at freshmen. "I want Kaist students to work all over the world," Suh said last week. "I don"t want them to be like other Koreans who attend international conferences and have a lunch among themselves because they are afraid of speaking in English." The move to English supports another of his changes: opening undergraduate degree programs to talented non-Koreans. Last year Kaist filled 51 of its 700 admission slots with foreign students on full scholarships. Meanwhile, he has ended free tuition for all; any student whose grade average falls below a B must pay up to $16,000 a year. "My dream is to make Kaist a globalized university, one of the best universities in the world," he said. In what may have been his most daring move, the university denied tenure to 15 of the 35 professors who applied last September. Until then, few if any applicants had failed tenure review in the university"s 36-year history. In this education-obsessed country, Suh"s actions have been watched intensely for their broader impact. More than 82 percent of all high school graduates go on to higher education. What university a South Korean attends in his 20s can determine his position and salary in his 50s, a factor behind recent expos?of prominent South Koreans who faked prestigious diplomas. The system is widely deplored but seldom challenged. From kindergarten, a child"s life is shaped largely by a single goal: doing well in examinations, particularly the all-important national college entrance exam. High school students plod through rote learning from dawn to dusk. Tutoring by "exam doctors" is a multibillion-dollar industry. During vacations, students attend private cram schools, which numbered 33,000 in 2006. One result is a disciplined and conformist work force, an advantage when South Korea rapidly industrialized by copying technology from others. But now, with the country trying to climb the innovation ladder, the rigid school system is proving a stumbling block. The nation"s highly hierarchical ways are often cited to explain how Hwang Woo Suk, the disgraced South Korean scientist who claimed he had produced stems cells from a cloned human embryo, could fabricate research findings with the complicity of junior associates. The ambitious head overseas. Last year, 62,392 South Korean students were enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities, making them the third-largest foreign student group, after Indians (83,833) and Chinese (67,723), according to the U.S. Institute of International Education. Some start earlier. About 35,000 South Korean children below college age go abroad each year, most to the United States to learn English. Against this backdrop, Kaist has been experimenting with test-free admissions. For this year"s class, it brought applicants in for interviews and debates and make presentations while professors looked for creativity and leadership. "About 20 percent of the students who formerly would have won admission didn"t make it under our new guidelines," Suh said. "We are looking for rough diamonds." Challenging the status quo can be risky. The Science and Technology Ministry, which oversees Kaist, had first looked outside South Korea for someone to lead the changes, choosing the Nobel physics laureate Robert Laughlin, who became the first foreigner to head a South Korean university in 2004. But he returned to Stanford University within two years, after the faculty rebelled against him for attempting some of the same changes Suh has instituted, accusing him, among other things, of insensitivity to Korean ways. Suh"s Korean roots and experience shield him from such charges. He did not emigrate to the United States until he was 18 and has worked at Korean universities as well as serving as assistant director at the U.S. National Science Foundation in the 1980s and head of MIT"s department of mechanical engineering from 1991 to 2001. "Reform entails sacrifices, but even if we don"t reform, there will be sacrifices," Suh said. "The difference is that if we don"t reform and don"t encourage competition, it"s the best people who are sacrificed." So far, Suh"s innovations have mostly received favorable reviews. Education Minister Kim Shi Il called them a "very desirable way of making Korea"s universities more competitive globally." The newspaper JoongAng Daily (which publishes an English-language version in partnership with the IHT) praised him for "smashing the iron rice bowls" (ending guaranteed job security) for professors and said, "We must learn from Kaist." Ewan Stewart, a British physicist who has taught at Kaist since 1999, said, "Many of the things President Suh is saying were things I felt should have been said a long time ago." Chung Joo Yeon, a first-year student, said she accepted the need for classes in English, but complained that some professors had no experience teaching in the language. But Cho, the electrical engineering professor, said: "It"s no longer a matter of choice. If we want to maintain our school"s standards, we must draw talents from countries around the world, and that means we must conduct our classes in English." Meanwhile, Lee has promised that as president he will give universities more autonomy by taking the "government"s hands off" how they select their students.
2008.01.23 View 17456
2008 New Year's Message from President New Year’s Greeting I would like to wish you and your family a prosperous and happy New Year. I also hope that 2008 will be a great year for KAIST. 2007: Year in Review Thanks to all of your hard work and dedication, 2007 has been a productive year for KAIST. We have undertaken many difficult and challenging tasks in order to make KAIST one of the leading universities in the world. As president, I would like to express my deep appreciation to all members of our community for your many contributions. You have all worked effectively and with great dedication toward accomplishing many of our goals. With your help, leadership, and support we have taken three major steps towards raising our standards. We have improved undergraduate education, created KAIST Institutes to undertake important interdisciplinary research, and improved our system of governance. I believe that these changes will make KAIST much stronger, increasing the intellectual productivity and performance of our students and faculty. But our job is not done yet. We have far to go before reaching our goal of making KAIST one of the best universities in the world. Goals of KAIST KAIST is a great university. Its students are among the brightest young people in the world. We have a first-rate faculty. We have hard working staff, and KAIST benefits from the generous support of the Korean people. It is clear we have what it takes to be one of the leading universities in the world. The history of science and technology teaches us that academia continually creates new intellectual fields to deal with emerging opportunities and to respond to societal needs. Universities that are most successful are those that are best at responding to our changing world. KAIST has the opportunity to become a leading university by searching for and solving important problems that require new approaches and new thinking. There are many reasons KAIST should strive to be the best. Doing so will enable the university to attract the best students and resources, in an increasingly competitive and global academic environment. This will create an atmosphere of intellectual excitement and vigor benefiting both faculty and students. This environment will put our faculty and students in league with the world’s other leading universities’ experts. Tasks Ahead To this end, we still face formidable obstacles. However, we can overcome them through great resolve, ingenuity, planning, and sacrifice. Without change, KAIST will of course continue to advance. But the world’s other leading universities are advancing exponentially faster. KAIST must do more to be in the same league. We must identify new opportunities in all areas, invest in innovative ideas, and lead the field in important areas of science and technology. What we have done in 2007 We have already made progress towards these goals in 2007. Some of our efforts have been difficult and painful to implement. a. Undergraduate education We introduced many measures to educate our students in a way that will prepare them to become future leaders. We have taken measures to make students more accountable for their actions, while also teaching them to be bi-modally functional in synthesis and analysis. We have also pursued international collaborations by establishing dual degree programs, which will begin in 2008 with Carnegie Mellon and Georgia Institute of Technology. We are currently working to establish similar programs with European and Asian universities as well. b. KAIST Institutes We have established research institutes to focus on KAIST’s current strengths. And we have also instituted “high risk/ high return” research-support programs to encourage creativity and innovation. c. EEWS In order to address the most pressing concerns of the 21st century, we have begun major research support in areas related to energy, the environment, water and sustainability. These global problems require international collaboration, which we are actively seeking. d. Governance We restructured KAIST into a department-centric system to enable those who know their fields best to be the primary decision makers. Departments will have the primary responsibility for personnel, finance, space, and education, all of which will be coordinated by the central administration for consistency and checks and balances. We will further develop this system, establishing deep roots in the years to come. e. Buildings and Generous Donors We were extremely fortunate to find generous donors who were willing to provide the financial support for KAIST. I am personally very grateful to Dr. & Mr. Byiung Joon Park for the KI building, and Dr. & Mrs. Neil Papparlardo for the hospital and medical center. We are hoping to find other generous donors for the Sports Complex and other important undertakings of KAIST. Tasks for 2008 In 2008, we must do the following: 1. Teach well. 2. Generate outstanding graduates who can function and compete in a global environment. 3. Produce outstanding research results by identifying important and challenging problems that require creative thinking, new ideas, and innovative paradigms to replace those that do not work any more. 4. Lead the field of science and engineering by anticipating future needs and opportunities. 5. Secure financial resources to compensate outstanding faculty and staff at a globally competitive scale and to maintain an infrastructure fit for research. 6. Increase the size of the faculty and student body to a more competitive level. 7. Recruit outstanding students, faculty and staff. 8. Build new facilities such as the Park Building for KAIST Institutes, the Pappalardo Hospital and Medical Center, the International House, and the Sports Complex. To achieve these tasks, we have created the Five-Year Development Plan and have implemented new programs and policies with the support of the faculty, the students and the staff. New Opportunities Ahead We may have new opportunities to make major contributions in a number of different areas. Before implementing any new programs and policies, the faculty, staff, and administration must consider them carefully and evaluate them thoroughly. I will discuss a few these opportunities that we should consider exploring: 1. Information Technology (IT) The fact that IT is an important area does not need any elaboration. Korea is a leading IT nation. IT has changed the way people communicate, live and produce. It has increased the productivity of the world. IT will continue to evolve and let us do things that cannot be done today. How will the field of IT change in the future? How should KAIST lead the change? Much of the IT revolution consists of hard technologies such as advances in semiconductors, wireless communications, fiber optics, displays, communications technology (switching, networking, etc.), and others. Although these hard technologies will continue to be important and occupy the minds of our brightest engineers, they may evolve in the way the computer field has evolved. For example, in the past, the limited and costly storage of data occupied much of the thinking in the computer science and engineering field. Also the speed of microprocessors was a major limiting factor in the use of computers. However, today the cost of data storage is almost insignificant in comparison to other costs. Advances in data storage have changed the practice and opportunities in the field of computers. Similarly, the current limiting factors involving hardware and data transmission may cease to drive the IT field in the future. What may be equally important is the management and engineering of content that are generated optically, by software, and by the users in a network. Examples of possible new directions in IT (in addition to traditional IT): (a) KAIST should explore whether or not we need to create a new curriculum and a department for “content creation, management and engineering” and generate new kinds of graduates. (b) Another topic that may be considered as being a part of the IT content management issue is the healthcare and management. In this field, Professors WonJoon Kim (BEP), BumSoon Park and SoYoung Kim (Culture Science), and Taesik Lee (Industrial Engineering) are exploring how to deal with health-related issues which will require a new use of IT as well as other disciplines such as design and social science 2. Ocean Systems Engineering and Science KAIST does not currently teach or conduct research on topics related to ocean, shipbuilding, and sea transportation systems, despite their importance in the 21st century. Two-thirds of the earth is covered by water. It is the arbitrator of earth’s climate and holds abundant natural resources. It also provides the cheapest means of transporting goods. It may be the place to sequestrate excess materials such as CO2 that needs to be removed from the atmosphere and land. Furthermore, current shipping systems and harbor design may be outdated and inefficient. Yet research and education in ocean science and engineering are not responding to the current needs of society. Shipbuilding is a very important industry to Korea. Korea builds more ships than any other nation, and ship-building contributes the most to the nation’s current account balance. Further, it appears that the demand for ships will continue to increase as the global shipment of goods and natural resources by ships continues to increase with the rapid industrialization of China and India. With increases in international trade, the need to use the ocean transportation system is likely to grow and exceed the current capacity of the infrastructure. KAIST should explore opportunities in areas related to shipbuilding, natural resource mining, sequestration of CO2 and deposition of other materials, ocean transportation systems, and environmental science and engineering of the ocean. 3. Life Science and Engineering KAIST has made and will be making a major investment in biology, brain science, bioengineering, the ME/PhD program, and other life science and engineering fields. KAIST will be seeking a major funding for research in brain science and neuroscience from abroad as well as within Korea. We need to identify new opportunities to increase the productivity of these diverse investments. Right now, the collaboration and coordination between colleagues in the life sciences and engineering is not well organized, although the KI for the BioCentury is promoting multi-disciplinary research. There has to be a better integration from life science to life engineering and technology at KAIST if we are to convince funding agencies and foundations to give us major financial support and to attract outstanding scholars in this field to KAIST. Concluding Remarks In 2007, we worked hard to make KAIST one of the world’s top universities. We are moving in the right direction in enhancing our students’ long-term personal and professional growth, for advancement of science and engineering, for technological innovation, and for the future well being of humanity. In 2008, we will continue to face new challenges that may appear to be beyond our capabilities, but we know we can achieve a lot when we work together. There are many things we have to do. We must continue to be creative in teaching and research, and we must use our resources wisely and frugally. We must support those amongst us, who are exceptionally creative and hard working, and continue to secure the necessary financial support to strengthen our educational and research programs. Thank you again for your many important contributions. I wish you and your family a most happy and prosperous New Year. January 1, 2008 KAIST President Nam Pyo Suh
2007.12.31 View 13396
KAIST and Carnegie Mellon University establish a Dual Degree Program Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Carnegie Mellon University make an agreement on collaboration in research and education, and a dual degree program. KAIST and Carnegie Mellon make an agreement on ▲Exchange of Faculty Members ▲Exchange of Students ▲Dual Degree Program and ▲ Exploring cooperation in education and research. Presidents of both Universities had a signing ceremony at 11 A.M on Friday, Oct. 5th, 2007. ▲Lectures, joint research and exchange of faculty members ▲Undergraduate/graduate student exchange up to five students from one University each year ▲Dual degree program at the Ph. D. level ▲Opportunities for joint research projects and conferences will be explored according to the agreement between the two Universities. KAIST and Carnegie Mellon have created a new dual degree program for Ph.D. students in civil and environmental engineering. Students admitted through the dual degree program are required to spend minimum 2 academic years in residence at each University. The total number of the student candidates participating in this program shall not exceed five in any given academic year initially. The students who met the graduation requirements shall be awarded two PhD degrees, one from KAIST and the other from Carnegie Mellon. All of its courses at KAIST are taught in English, which is the case starting in Fall 2007. Both Universities will explore the concept of sharing courses taught in English using videoconferencing technologies. KAIST President Nam Pyo Suh said “We are delighted to have President Jared L. Cohon of Carnegie Mellon visit KAIST. I am looking forward to discussing various issues related to higher education and signing the Memorandum of Understanding between the two universities for student/faculty exchange programs, joint research, and the Carnegie Mellon- KAIST dual-degree program in civil and environment engineering. The dual degree program will initially begin in civil and environment engineering, and we hope to expand this to other areas in the future. Our goal is to generate future leaders who are able to lead global enterprises and conduct interdisciplinary research. This can be done through collaboration among leading scholars at Carnegie Mellon and KAIST. Our hope is that we can solve serious problems of the 21st century through the collaboration between our two institutions. I am especially excited to establish such a collaboration with Carnegie Mellon, my alma mater." “Carnegie Mellon is well-suited to collaborate with KAIST. We believe this agreement will be a catalyst for future educational and research opportunities. I am especially pleased that this partnership is with an institution of KAIST"s stature” said Cohon. About Carnegie Mellon: Carnegie Mellon is a private research university with a distinctive mix of programs in engineering, computer science, robotics, business, public policy, fine arts and the humanities. More than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students receive an education characterized by its focus on creating and implementing solutions for real problems, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovation. A small student-to-faculty ratio provides an opportunity for close interaction between students and professors. While technology is pervasive on its 144-acre Pittsburgh campus, Carnegie Mellon is also distinctive among leading research universities for the world-renowned programs in its College of Fine Arts. A global university, Carnegie Mellon has campuses in Silicon Valley, Calif., and Qatar, and programs in Asia, Australia and Europe. For more, see www.cmu.edu ..
2007.10.09 View 19201
KAIST Graduate School of Information Media Management Opens Blog for Web2.0 Lectures KAIST Graduate School of Information Media Management Opens Blog for Web2.0 Lectures - http://webtwo.kaist.ac.kr The Graduate School of Media Information Management of KAIST (President Nam Pyo Suh) has opened a blog to share the contents of and hear various opinions on Web2.0 Lecture programs, established this semester. Web2.0 Lecture refers to a program to deliver and educate a variety of ongoing projects and market responses, along with scholarly and theoretical accesses in a real-time basis. The lectures will be made by invited experts in the fields of web and mobile, which are yet to be established academically, but have created huge markets. Lectures on recent hot issues, such as the relevant technologies, trends, cultures, policies, and markets of Web2.0, will be firstly made. The blog provides highlight moving pictures of the lectures and comments by professors and assistants, and is expected to deliver high quality contents to faculty and students interested in Web2.0. In addition, professors and assistants will share opinions online with lecture takers. Professors in charge: Prof. Sunghee Kim, Prof. Dongwan Cha, Prof. Choonghee Ryu, Prof. Jaesun HanAssistants in charge: Jinwoo Park, Daejin Chung, Kyungeun Sung. Contents:1. Trens & Internet: Market and Technology① Web2.0 overview (Sangoo Cho, Managing Director of KTH)② Collective Intelligence (PRAK, President of Mar.gar.in)③ UCC (Jangho Kim, Manger, KBSi)④ Blog (Jeongseok Noh, President of T&C)⑤ Copyright and CCL (Jongsoo Yoon, Judge of CCK)⑥ Long-tail (Hyogon Chang, President of Innomove)⑦ Search 2.0 (Byungkook Chun, President of Searching Engine Mast) 2. Web2.0 and Beyond① Web2.0 & Convergence (Kyungjeon Lee, Professor of Kyunghee University)② Web2.0 & business (Sooman Park, President of Double Track)③ Social Computing (Sangki Han, President of Opinity AP)④ Web2.0 & Media (Yongseok Hwang, Professor of Kunkook University)⑤ Attention Economy (Taweoo Ki, Taewoo’s log)⑥ Mobile Web2.0 (Jonghong Chun, Senior researcher of ETRI)
2007.05.14 View 13636
Prof. Hwang Inaugurated as 22nd President of KISS Prof. Hwang Inaugurated as 22nd President of KISS Kyu-Young Hwang, a professor of Computer Sciences, has been inaugurated as the 22nd president of the Korea Information Science Society (KISS). The KISS, established in 1973, is Korea’s largest computer science-related society holding about 4,000 members. Prof. Hwang is now managing programs to issue the society’s publications and for information exchanges and putting huge efforts on promoting global cooperation and strengthening the partnership with overseas institutions to raise the society’s global standings. He is also making great efforts to enhance the capabilities and competitiveness of future human resources through a program to improve education systems concerning computer/ programming.
2007.04.30 View 13003

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