Goal As a Value Creating University
Goal As a Value Creating University
  • Professor Han Jin-kwan (LIFE)
  • 승인 2018.01.01 15:29
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With another starting of the period of revolution, New Year morning of 2018 has arrived. Leaving 30th anniversary behind, POSTECH has put another new step for the upcoming future. At this point of encountering new start, I would like to ask the family members of POSTECH a question. In what way are the worldly distinguished universities evolving, and how do we want POSTECH to appear in the next 30 years?
Worldly authoritative universities are swiftly promoting change and innovation, as fast as the revolution of the earth. Entrepreneurial university within the boundary of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University shall be a good model. This entrepreneurial university not only stays at the quest for learning and researching, but train students who have the spirit of entrepreneurship, in order to cultivate positive relationship between the university and society. It is certain that the upcoming mission of universities would not stop at the conservative level of education and encouragement of researching. To catch up with the chronological change, POSTECH is endeavoring not to stay at the current status as a Research Oriented University, but is aiming for the best Value Creating University. As a Value Creating University, POSTECH pursues the maximization of the values gained by education and research, through commercialization and start-ups, and contribute such maximized values to the development of country and society.
In order to transform into a Value Creating University, innovation of education is essential. For this, several new policies have been adopted for 2018. One of the major policies is be that every freshman will have undermined major and that they are 100% guaranteed for freely choosing their major of interest, without any competition or restriction. Doing so, the future engineers and scientists will get to experience and study various fields and assort wide perspectives and integral thinking, before focusing on their specified majors. This is not a familiar system for us. However, similar to how the arts became more rich and colorful in the evolution of rationalistic Modernism into Post-Modernism, I sincerely ask for your credit that POSTECH breaking the traditional classification of majors, and attempting for innovative policies of entrance exams and careers would bring such merit to the university itself.
Some Postechians will have concerns about such change in our university. It is natural to have fear about trying the path that has never been gone across. However, failing to attempt innovative change due to fear will let us fall behind. A professor who studies emotional activities aroused in humans and also a New York Times best-selling author said “vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.” In other words, our individual and chronological vulnerability is the starting point of decisive changes and continuous innovation. The message that I would like to emphasize is that every innovation and change accompany vulnerability. Though we may feel vulnerable in the process of leading new changes, we should be able to overcome the convention with the firm belief in the next 30 years. I hope wit and courage to be dwelled in everyone greeting another New Year.