Study and Cogitate with Full Commitment
Study and Cogitate with Full Commitment
  • Sunggi Baik
  • 승인 2010.03.03 23:46
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Matriculation Address

▲ The Presidnet Sunggi Baik
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

I would like to welcome all of you new students to POSTECH. The Matriculation Ceremony this year is as meaningful and significant as our very first one in 1987, because this is the year that will lay the groundwork for the globalization of POSTECH.

As reported in the media, the Bilingual Campus Declaration will commence with this Matriculation Ceremony, and English, in addition to Korean, will be adopted as an official language of POSTECH. It may be somewhat odd and unnatural for you to hear me speak to you in English like this, but I am confident that you understand the great significance of the implementation of a bilingual campus.

I strongly believe that using English as another official language on campus is the first step POSTECH needs to take in order to develop into a real world-class university. And you, the students, are the leaders of this big change. I hope that you will always remind yourselves of the founding philosophy of POSTECH, to become a world top-class university by spearheading education and research in science and technology, serving the nation, and envisioning and pursuing a better future. Keep these goals in mind as you devote yourselves to scholarship and research on this bilingual campus, as you build up a fruitful and meaningful time at POSTECH.

A total of 868 undergraduate and graduate students are here to join POSTECH today. I hope that you will grow into indispensable brains of this society by strengthening and expanding your dreams during your stay here.

Nobody can deny that the 21st century is the era of advanced technology, including information and communication technology, biotechnology, and nanotechnology, where human resources are the most significant driving force. POSTECH will make all possible efforts to provide the best education and research environments, encourage your enthusiasm for science, and help fulfill your potential, to nurture you into global leaders of science and technology that the society needs.

The new undergraduate students’ presence here today is especially meaningful in that they are the first products of the new admissions procedure called the Admissions Officer System. I firmly believe that this new system has had a great impact on, and will bring about a huge change in the university admissions of Korea. The adoption of this system was initiated from our strong belief that Korean K12 and higher education was suffering from the old system’s sole reliance on test scores, which neglected the unique talents and aptitudes of individual students. The old university admissions system has long impeded the development and competitiveness of individuals as well as the advancement of our educational institutes.

With your unparalleled talents and strong passion for science, you are most valuable assets to Korean society. I am convinced that the new system will accelerate positive changes and spark competitions between universities, becoming a new milestone in Korean higher education. It is due to this new system that POSTECH recognized and invited excellent students like you, full of passion and strong will.

All faculty and staff members including myself understand very well the heavy responsibility of cultivating your talents. To successfully carry out this mission, we will devote our energy to providing full educational support and sufficient welfare benefits to students. For your part, I’d like you to strive for your dreams and ambitions to bear fruit. Even in this fast changing world, some basic values and virtues remain unaltered. Understanding of the timeless and fundamental studies of mathematics, physics, chemistry, life science, the Korean language, history, and philosophy is an example. You will explore these subjects in depth at POSTECH. While here, you will learn to study and cogitate with full commitment.

In order to grow into global leaders, it is imperative that you master English communication skills, in addition to expanding thorough understanding of your area of study to develop a creative mind unafraid of challenge, to foster genuine leadership. As future leaders equipped with self-respect and a sense of responsibility, you should also nurture an altruistic attitude, putting others and society before yourselves.

I sincerely hope that your commitment and determination will lead POSTECH to become a world top-class university. I wish you great luck and happiness in your time here and beyond. Lastly, I would like to thank again the parents and the distinguished guests who honored us with their presence today. In particular, my deepest gratitude is extended to President Woo Hyun Paik of LG Electronics for his time and wonderful words.


President Sunggi Baik