- 건국대학교

	President Sang-Gi Min Emphasizes Tradition and Innovation at Inauguration
	관리자		2013		2016.09.02

<img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" alt="" src="ArticleFile.do?id=11671618" /> On September 1, 2016, Professor Sang-Gi Min of the Department of Bioindustrial Technologies started his four-year term as the 20th president of Konkuk University (KU). Earlier in June, KU’s executive board appointed President Min, who received the highest number of votes by a 49-member committee comprised of faculty, students, and staff.
The inauguration ceremony took place at the New Millennium Hall, and the Konkuk community celebrated the occasion to together. Also in attendance were former KU presidents, National Assembly members, and special guests from higher education institutions. Konkuk University Foundation Chairperson Kyunghee Kim expressed faith in President Min’s leadership ability in her congratulatory remarks and performed the induction, after which President Min shared his vision for his presidency in an inaugural address.
Under the theme of “Konkuk’s Centennial through Tradition and Innovation,” President Min proposed ten goals, including a university that promotes basic and applied research, supports career development and startups by students, and contributes to local and global communities. While he acknowledged the long series of challenges, including a weak economy and decreasing population, that universities face, Presidment Min said that “through changes and innovation, Konkuk will be greatly respected by the people and trusted by the society.”
President Min received his doctorate degree from Universität Hohenheim. He has been a Konkuk faculty member for more than two decades, and served in several administrative capacities, including the president of the faculty’s association and dean of the Graduate School. Most recently, President Min was the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and led the university for the Program for Industrial Needs-Matched Education, also known as the PRIME project. In addition, he served as the president of KU’s Institute of International Development Cooperation, which was established in 2014 as the first of its kind among Korean universities to transfer agriculture-related technologies to developing countries in Central Asia and the Middle East.
<img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; display: block;" alt="" src="ArticleFile.do?id=11671619" />
 Following is an excerpt from an interview by <a href="http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=102&oid=001&aid=0008649715">Yonhap News </a>with President Min. Q. What is your vision as the new president? A. Konkuk University celebrated its 70th anniversary this year. As we look forward to its centennial, now is the time we focus on innovation. Q. You are known for emphasizing German-style education. A. In Germany, practical training is a crucial component. In contrast to Korea, where interns are to carry out certain tasks, soon-to-be graduates in Germany apply what they have learned in theory in a creative manner. Konkuk will also emphasize practical training as well as discussions and debates. We will also revamp our curriculum and encourage interdisciplinary studies. Q. What are some major changes brought by the PRIME project? Some voice concerns that universities are overly focusing on employment rather than academics. A. Our society needs people trained at the master’s level, but very few universities offer a joint undergraduate and graduate program. The Center for Integrated Science and Technology, which will be established with support from the PRIME project, will be structured after the German model and offer a 4+1 program. Utilizing Konkuk’s traditional strengths in biology and engineering, graduates of the program will receive highly specialized education and training. One of the most common questions asked by teens nowadays is “what path will I be guaranteed after graduation if I choose a certain major?” I believe it is a duty of a university to provide guidelines to students to mitigate uncertainties after graduation so that they can design their future. Q. What are your goals as the president of Konkuk University? A. Despite being a private university with a relatively long history, Konkuk has not been able to utilize its resources effectively. With the PRIME project, I hope that Konkuk can become one of the top five private universities in the country. I will also bring fundamental changes to its education system. For example, students will be able to take courses for their major during the summer. By implementing such changes, I hope that I won’t have any regrets after my four years as the president.

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