POSTECH has announced the appointment of Prof. Song Ho-Keun of Social Science at Seoul National University (SNU)  as the Dean of POSTECH’s Humanities and Social Science Department (HASS Dept.) and have bestowed upon him an endowed professorship.

Prof. Song was appointed as SNU’s first endowed professor in the field of HASS due to his accomplished research achievements regarding polarization and social conflict intensification. Beginning from 1994 as a SNU Prof. of Social Science, he also contributed to the advancement of SNU as the Head of the Social Science Department. Due to his appraised perspective involving numerous fields; politics, economics, and the social sciences, he retained a sharp analysis of the nature of social phenomenon and policy. 

President Kim Doh-Yeon stated, “As a university that specializes in science and technology and fosters future industry leaders, the current HASS education isn’t enough. Students now live much longer due to extended lifespans and will take positions in multiple jobs and careers. Considering the present education system with a specialized focus on one major, it is difficult to adapt to this change. Only students with STEM knowledge and HASS perspectives can contribute to our country’s advancement.”

By recruiting Prof. Song, POSTECH aims to strengthen  HASS education. Most recently, POSTECH has pursued the cultivation of ‘Fast Followers’ who can follow technology from advanced countries to strengthen one’s own country’s technology. However, in order to cultivate talented individuals of the next generation, HASS education is essential to cultivate integrated thinking, creativity, and communication skills. Accordingly, the recruitment of Prof. Song is POSTECH’s bold new step in HASS education.