The Office of International Affairs at UNIST participated in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) University Leaders’ Forum (AULF 2025), held at the International Convention Center Jeju (ICC JEJU) from May 12 and 13, 2025. The forum served as a platform for discussing collaborative approaches among universities across the Asia-Pacific region.
The AULF 2025 was an official event held in conjunction with the APEC Education Ministerial Meeting, organized by the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) and Pusan National University. The event was attended by university presidents, faculty members, and international exchange officials from the region, alongside representatives from global corporations such as Google, Microsoft, Elsevier, and Huawei.
The main theme of the forum was “Leveraging AI in Higher Education to Address Asia-Pacific Challenges.”
The 2025 AULF was held as an official event linked to the APEC Education Ministers Meeting, with university presidents, professors, and international exchange officials from the Asia-Pacific region in attendance.
The forum comprised a keynote speech and five sessions that explored various aspects of AI utilization and the associated ethical considerations. Discussions focused on innovative applications of AI in higher education, as well as strategies for international cooperation and response to global issues such as climate change, health, and energy.
Dean Young-Bin Park of the Office of Public Relations and International Affairs at UNIST, stated, “This forum was a vital opportunity to advance our institution’s goal of fostering the ‘Glocal Win-Win Platform-based International Collaboration‘ and we will pursue specific initiatives to strengthen UNIST’s global competitiveness through partnerships with leading universities in the Asia-Pacific region.”
Founded in 1997, APRU is a cooperative network comprising 61 universities across 18 Pacific Rim nations, working collaboratively to promote the advancement of higher education in the fields of economy, science, and culture. While UNIST is not a member university, it was invited to participate in this forum, following its involvement as a delegate representing APEC’s Policy Partnership on Science, Technology and Innovation (PPSTI) during the February 2025 APEC meeting.
