[2022 Commencement] “You Are the Driving Force Behind the Success of UNIST.”

You are the driving force behind the success of UNIST and I am immensely grateful for your enthusiasm and hard work!

President Yong Hoon Lee delivered some valuable life lessons in his commencement speech at the 2022 UNIST Commencement ceremony, which took place on Thursday, February 17, 2022.

In his congratulatory remark, President Lee also urged the Class of 2022 to boldly face challenges with the spirit of ‘First In Change,’ as they have done throughout their time here at UNIST by saying “You are the driving force behind the success of UNIST and I am immensely grateful for your enthusiasm and hard work.”

President Lee is delivering a congratulatory speech during the 2022 UNIST Commencement Ceremony. 

He added, “UNIST is a growing university that still has much to accomplish. We will continue to move forward, open new doors, and achieve great things.”

“UNIST will leap forward to become a world-leading university by providing the most advanced research and education in the fields of carbon neutrality, AI, semiconductors, and smart healthcare,” said President Lee. “We will play a pivotal role in shaping the future as a global innovation hub for science and technology, leading change in the southeastern region of South Korea, beyond Ulsan.

Below is the complete commencement address by President Yong Hoon Lee:

Dear Members of the Class of 2022,

Congratulations on all your hard work and dedication to achieving this important milestone in your life.

Today, 972 graduating students will join the family of over 6400 UNIST alumni. We could not be more proud of you who stands poised and ready to begin the greatest adventure of your lives. You have every reason to be proud of yourself, and to consider that degree as your badge of honor.

In honor of your graduation, I would like to sincerely congratulate and thank the parents and families of our graduates, as well as the faculty and staff members of UNIST for their dedication and sincere efforts throughout the years culminating in this day.

Our Beloved Graduates,

Your alma mater has grown remarkably beyond all expectations over the past decade.

Today, UNIST is among the world’s top 10 young universities, according to the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings. UNIST’s cutting-edge research, particularly in the fields of materials science, chemistry, and energy has helped the university maintain a strong presence among the top 5 universities in South Korea.

As we continue to attract internationally renowned researchers, UNIST will continue to be at the forefront of R&D and innovative education.

The remarkable growth of UNIST was possible thanks to you who have been boldly facing challenges with the spirit of “First in Change.” You are the driving force behind the success of UNIST and I am immensely grateful for your enthusiasm and hard work.

Our Proud Graduates,

UNIST, which has written a glorious history, will not rest on its current laurels. UNIST is a growing university that still has much to accomplish. We will continue to move forward, open new doors, and achieve great things.

UNIST has been striving to build a solid new foundation for innovative research. As part of these efforts, the UNIST Graduate School of Artificial Intelligence was established in 2019. The UNIST Graduate School of Semiconductor Materials and Devices and the Smart Healthcare Research Center were also launched in earnest last year.

Through this, UNIST has secured advanced educational and research capabilities in key emerging technologies in areas, such as AI, semiconductors, and smart healthcare, and has begun to emerge, as a leader in these fields.

More growth and challenges will continue this year, as well. UNIST plans to implement graduate programs that specialized in carbon neutrality for the first time in Korea. The Carbon Neutral Institute, which will pave the way for education and research related to carbon neutrality, will also be launched in earnest.

UNIST will leap forward to become a world-leading university by providing the most advanced research and education in the fields of carbon neutrality, AI, semiconductors, and smart healthcare. UNIST will play a pivotal role in shaping the future as a global innovation hub for science and technology, leading change in the southeastern region of South Korea, beyond Ulsan.

Our Beloved Graduates,

Today you leave this campus, but you will always be an integral part of UNIST. Wherever you go, you can be sure that your alma mater will be with you every step of the way, guiding you towards your goals and supporting your ambitions. We hope you will remain connected and engaged with UNIST in the years to come.

Once again, congratulations on your well-deserved success, and best of luck in your future endeavors.

Thank you all very much.