President Park of Incheon National University pushes reform, innovation

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President Park of Incheon National University pushes reform, innovation

President Park Jong-tae of Incheon National University [INCHEON NATIONAL UNIVERSITY]

President Park Jong-tae of Incheon National University [INCHEON NATIONAL UNIVERSITY]

 
With the inauguration of President Park Jong-Tae, Incheon National University (INU) is speeding up its humble reform.
 
INU is the second university in Korea to be converted into an incorporated flagship national university, following Seoul National University. Founded in 1979, it is the only university in the country with a turbulent history of changing from a private to public, and then national, university.
 
Before the latest inauguration, the university encountered an obstacle when its first final candidate recommended by the board of directors in its presidential election in 2020 was eliminated from the deliberation of the Education Ministry’s personnel committee.
 
After holding two presidential elections over the past two years, Park took office in May as the third president of the university and will be serving his term until 2025.
 
President Park promised at his inauguration that INU would build a new national university model based on a flexible operating structure with a culture of innovation.
 
Park expressed his will for INU to be reborn as a university that leads the era and opens the future through reform supported by members.
 
 
Q. What are your vision and long-term goals?
 
A. Firstly, to build a metaverse education infrastructure that combines online and offline in order to nurture future talent. Secondly, to support research infrastructure by establishing the INU Institute, a world-class signature research institute for each specialized field. Thirdly, to set regional and national development agendas, and lastly, establishing a community companion platform.
 
Since its incorporation as a national university in 2013, INU has achieved remarkable growth in the research, start-up, and global fields thanks to active financial support from the government and Incheon Metropolitan City and the efforts of internal members.
 
The budget from 156.9 billion won ($133.24 million) in 2013 increased by 28 percent to 216.3 billion won in 2021, and newly appointed professors accounted for 55.3 percent of the total professors after incorporation, establishing a young and dynamic university culture.
 
The number of international papers published by the university has increased by 420 percent since its incorporation, and the budget of the Industry-University Cooperation Foundation has also increased by 15 percent, contributing to the enhancement of regional and national competitiveness.
 
Based on this quantitative growth, we plan to establish a new national university model as one of the top universities in Korea.
 
To support and lead the development of Incheon, which has become the economic capital of Korea, we will establish a university-industry cooperation platform closely connected with the region and discuss issues with Incheon Metropolitan City.
 
 
What are your future plans for the educational curricula?
 
Considering that students’ creativity increases when diversity and change harmonize, we will create a university where not only local talents but also talents from other regions and countries desire to come.
 
During this process where students from different backgrounds meet and study together, new ideas can emerge and foster future leaders, which I think will soon serve as a stepping stone for providing new opportunities for talented people in the community.
 
To this end, we plan to introduce major education courses based on the nanodegree program, which integrates various academic fields and flexibly provides necessary fields in society.
 
We will build new forms of learning infrastructure based on the metaverse combining online and offline courses and present a national university education model that fosters world talent as future leaders based on a creative education system.
 
Specifically, we will build a new second library and Industry-Academic and Start-up Complex to install a start-up support infrastructure with high-tech facilities and to train future entrepreneurs.
 
 
What are your strategies for strengthening your research fields?
 
As a national university, we will increase our contribution to local communities and industries and discover a strategic convergence research group and establish a research support system in the long run to fulfill our responsibilities for basic studies.
 
To this end, we plan to establish an INU Institute for each specialized area that conducts differentiated research, secure research space in the R&D Research Complex and support research funds for research and administrative personnel.
 
 
Incheon National University has the geographical advantage of being located in Songdo International Business District. How will you utilize this regional advantage?
 
In order to support and lead the development of Incheon, which has established itself as the economic capital of Korea, we will establish a university-social cooperation platform close to the region and also establish a system in which Incheon, local communities and industries, and universities can discuss problems and think about the direction of future developments together.
 
In order to further promote mutual cooperation between universities and regions, we plan to introduce differentiated programs in the education and research fields with social values taken into account.
 
 
How will you expand global cooperation?
 
My idea is to establish a collaborative network of universities in major Asian countries to attract global talent and contribute to enhancing the university’s competitiveness by attracting excellent talents to our undergraduate and graduate schools.
 
In an aim to establish a university system that takes root in the region but competes with the world in education and research, we plan to contribute to society and enhance global competitiveness at the same time when promoting major projects.
 
By expanding the framework of thought beyond the boundaries of regions and countries to exchanges and competition with global universities, I will establish it as an international model that utilizes its strength as a national university.
 
I am confident that the effect of this university reform will be doubled when it is conducted quietly but substantially rather than loudly.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]
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