My aspiration is to elevate UNIST to the level of Stanford, establishing it as a prestigious university recognized globally.
Dr. Chong Rae Park, the 5th President of UNIST delivered his inauguration speech shortly after being formally inaugurated. The ceremony took place in the 2F Auditorium of Main Administration Building at UNIST on August 14, 2024.
Approximately 400 guests, faculty members, and students attended the ceremony, including Chairman Jae Ho Song of the UNIST Board of Directors, Vice Mayor Hyo Dae An for Economic Affairs at Ulsan Metropolitan City, and Ulju County Mayor Sun-Gul Lee, to celebrate the occasion. In his congratulatory speech, Chairman Song expressed his expectations, stating, “UNIST will make a new leap under President Park’s leadership.”
The Flag of UNIST has been presented to President Chong Rae Park by Chairman Jae Ho Song of the UNIST Board of Directors.
In his inaugural address, President Park emphasized, “Ulsan stands as the ‘Land of PIONEERS,’ which has been the driving force behind the remarkable growth of the Korean economy,” and further asserted, “The growth of UNIST, which has pioneered a new future on that basis, represents the growth of Ulsan.” He declared that “Our top priority is to cultivate ‘PIONEERS-type’ talents that embody a challenging and creative spirit.”
The inaugural address detailed three key initiatives proposed by President Park. The ‘PIONEERS PLATFORM’ is anchored by these three initiatives, which will reinforce UNIST’s core identity and competitiveness: △ PIONEERS Talent Education Platform, △ Customized Convergence Research Platform for Each Stage of Technological Advancement, and △ Global Win-Win Cooperation Platform.
President Chong Rae Park is delivering his inauguration speech, moments after being formally inaugurated.
The inauguration ceremony has been attended by 400 guests and UNIST faculty, staff, and students.
President Chong Rae Park holds a Bachelor’s degree in Textile Engineering and Master’s degree in Fiber Chemistry from Seoul National University, and a Doctorate in Fiber Physics from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. He joined the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Seoul National University in 1997. Throughout his career, he has also served as Vice Dean for Academic Affairs at Seoul National University, CEO of Seoul Techno Holdings Inc., Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology (PACST) S&T Infrastructure Subcommittee, Chairman of the MSIT Expert Committees on Regulatory Exemptions for Testing and Technical Verification in Special R&D Zones, and other positions.
President Park was elected President of UNIST at the ‘2024 40th Temporary Meeting of the Board of Directors,’ held on June 26, 2014. With the consent by the Minister of Education and the approval of the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), President Park began his term, as the 5th president of UNIST on July 8, 2024.
Below is the complete inauguration speech by President Chong Rae Park:
Dear UNIST Family,
Distinguished Guests,
Esteemed Citizens of Ulsan,
As I stand before you as the 5th President of UNIST today, I would like to share three key reflections about UNIST—its past, present, and future. At the heart of these reflections is a profound connection that intertwines and brings us together.
First, l would like to discuss “Pioneers’ Land, Ulsan,” and “Pioneers’ University, UNIST.”
Ulsan stands as the ‘Land of PIONEERS,’ where the founders of major Korean conglomerates planted their dreams and propelled their companies onto the global stage. They embodied an indomitable spirit of persistence, rooted in the belief that “While distressing events may arise, there is no such thing as failure.” This pioneering spirit has been the driving force behind the remarkable growth of the Korean economy.
The ‘Miracle on the Han River’ mirrors, in many ways, the ‘Miracle on the Ulsan Mipo Bay’. The pioneering spirit of Ulsan Mipo Bay, characterized by a vigor that rivals the Western pioneering ethos, is deeply embedded in the very fabric of this land.
Seventeen years ago, a new generation of pioneers emerged from this land—promising young scientists, distinguished mid-career professors, dedicated faculty, and students brimming with aspirations. They worked tirelessly, day and night, under the core ethos of “FIRST IN CHANGE, UNIST,” striving for excellence and pushing boundaries.
With unwavering support from Ulsan City and Ulju County, UNIST has experienced ‘remarkable compressed growth,’ a phenomenon seldom seen in the history of global universities. It is through these pioneering efforts that we now celebrate what we proudly call the ‘Miracle of Gamakgol.'”
My emotional journey toward applying for the position of UNIST President has been profound. Each time I reflected on the passion, struggles, and unwavering dedication of the UNIST Pioneers who embarked on their journey in the remote expanse of Gamakgol, I felt my heart race with overwhelming emotion. The narrative of these PIONEERS, who have established themselves in Ulsan—the true land of pioneers—resonates deeply and feels destined.
Today, I am honored to carry forward the legacy of leadership established by UNIST’s first President, Dr. Moo Je Cho, who instilled a pioneering spirit in this institution.
UNIST must now strive to take its place on the global stage.
In Silicon Valley, recognized as a global epicenter of innovation, resides Stanford University, which enjoys a distinguished reputation worldwide. Similarly, in Ulsan—a city renowned for its pioneering legacy—we have the esteemed UNIST. My aspiration is to elevate UNIST to the level of Stanford, establishing it as a prestigious university recognized globally. Together, let us cultivate UNIST as a symbol of pride for Ulsan, the Land of PIONEERS.
My second reflection centers on ‘UNIST Talent Development,’ a framework designed to guide us through this era of profound transformation.
As I considered the presidency, I reflected deeply on the type of talent UNIST aims to cultivate. I earnestly questioned myself, “What kind of talent should UNIST nurture?” I would like to propose an answer.
As you are certainly aware, we are undergoing an unprecedented transformation. The rapid advancements in AI and the emergence of quantum computing signify a profound shift in human civilization. Humanity must confront challenges that cannot be addressed by traditional methods. During such transitional periods, innovative thinking becomes essential for solving complex problems and creating new realities. Therefore, it is imperative that we cultivate PIONEERS-type talents that embody a challenging and creative spirit.
Individuals embodying PIONEERS-type qualities must cultivate two vital competencies to successfully navigate the complexities of this transformative era. That is the ability to generate creative insights and the capacity for integrative connectivity.
Creative insight involves uncovering new values and utilities—not merely generating ideas. Convergent connectivity explores the fundamental principles that shape various phenomena, anticipates the genuine ripple effects they will generate, and establishes a solid foundation, thereby facilitating a transformative elevation to a new level of realistic experience.
Today, I am pleased to introduce the concept of [Talent with Creative Insight and Convergent Connectivity] as the distinctive type of PIONEERS talent unique to UNIST.
The PIONEERS at UNIST will rise to meet the challenges of this transformative era, forging new paths through innovative insights in science, technology, and emerging industries, while simultaneously creating new realities through integrative connectivity. In addition, we will reform UNIST’s talent development system. The ‘average excellence’ training characteristic of the Fast Follower period cannot cultivate the PIONEERS talents required in this era of great transition. First Mover-type talent education is essential for navigating these changes.
At UNIST, we will prioritize individual excellence through education tailored to each student’s unique identity and diversity. Through this strategy, we aspire to produce a variety of what I call ‘Deokhu-type’ talents dedicated to scientific exploration.
My third reflection centers on the establishment of the ‘UNIST PIONEERS PLATFORM,’ which will serve as a launching pad for our advancement onto the global stage.
For UNIST to thrive as a global leader, we must enhance our individual excellence—a cornerstone of global competitiveness and progress that we refer to as . To secure the uniqueness of UNIST, it is necessary to reorganize the structure and content of our education, research, and community contributions from a fresh perspective. We must establish a culture of ‘connectivity and cooperation’ in which each professional harmonizes collaboratively, breaking down the frameworks and divisions that were relevant in the age of average.
I envision the ‘PIONEERS PLATFORM’ being anchored in three key initiatives that will reinforce UNIST’s core identity and competitiveness:
First, [PIONEERS Talent Education Platform],
Second, [Customized Convergence Research Platform for Each Stage of Technological Advancement],
Third, [Glocal Win-Win Cooperation Platform].
The [PIONEERS Talent Education Platform] is dedicated to nurturing future leaders in science, technology, and emerging industries. Our primary focus will be on cultivating essential ‘future talent competencies’ that empower these PIONEERS.
We are poised to implement a transformative admissions system that prioritizes ‘future talent competencies’ as a key selection criterion. By enhancing the professionalism within our admissions organization, we will significantly improve our capacity to identify and select the most promising students.
In our commitment to acknowledge and embracing the individuality and diversity of each student, we will reform our academic structure. We aspire to create an environment that fosters a rich variety of experiences and challenges, introducing an open major system that encourages multidisciplinary learning, alongside diverse certification curricula, such as the Residential College. This approach ensures that each student’s unique strengths and qualities will serve as the driving force behind their successful self-realization. Furthermore, we will reorganize the curriculum to facilitate customized life-cycle education, tailored to the diverse journeys of incoming students, current students, graduates, and industry professionals.
Through the [Customized Convergence Research Platform for Each Stage of Technological Advancement], we aim to facilitate the transition of fundamental source technologies into production-ready solutions. Our focus will be on a step-by-step core technology advancement research approach that aligns with the full-cycle of technology scale-up, progressing seamlessly from beaker to bench to pilot and finally to production.
Through the establishment of the PIONEERS PLAZA, we aim to drive technology transfer emerging from scale-up research outcomes and accelerate the launch of startups from these innovations. This initiative will generate value-added technologies and activate industrial-based startups, contributing to robust industrial advancement.
Our efforts will concentrate on nurturing research fields specific to UNIST, including future energy, advanced materials, AIX, carbon neutrality, smart manufacturing, smart mobility, and health sciences and technology.
Lastly, through the [Glocal Win-Win Cooperation Platform], we will expand the horizons of the dreams of UNIST PIONEERS to encompass regions, countries, and the world beyond our campus.
We are committed to promoting international cooperation grounded in the principles of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. The establishment of global cooperation centers at leading universities and UNIST-affiliated labs will facilitate effective joint research initiatives.
Our objective is to amplify UNIST’s influence through enhanced international VISIBILITY and, on this foundation, to promote multiple joint degree programs in collaboration with esteemed international institutions. Additionally, we will advance the UNIST Outreach Cooperation Program to disseminate our knowledge and successes to underprivileged communities around the globe.
To support these endeavors, we will strengthen departments dedicated to international cooperation, ensuring one-stop service for international faculty, students, and their families. This initiative will cultivate a culture of globalization throughout our campus and administrative structure.
Having accumulated considerable knowledge and experience as an educator and researcher over the past 32 years, I am dedicated to successfully implementing the ‘UNIST PIONEERS PLATFORM.’ I will leverage my expertise and enthusiasm as catalysts, while drawing upon the collective wisdom of the UNIST community. This platform will serve as a strong foundation for UNIST’s sustainable and ambitious progress.
In closing, I would like to delve into the notion of ‘Unstoppable Challenges’.
Despite our relatively short history of 17 years and the obstacles we have encountered, UNIST has reached remarkable milestones. Nonetheless, we must now address new challenges, including the deceleration of growth and a stagnation in our culture of innovation. It is crucial that we not only meet these challenges but also overcome them. Additionally, the rapid pace of change across various environments must not be underestimated. It is imperative that we transform crises into opportunities for advancement.
What we seek is an ‘Unstoppable Challenge.’
The challenges that UNIST faces on the global stage must persist. It is imperative that every member of the UNIST community wholeheartedly embodies the pioneering spirit deeply ingrained in the fabric of Ulsan. Together, we will embrace our collective role as true “Pioneers”—not just in the present moment, but as architects of a brighter future.
Dear UNIST Professors, Students, and Staffs, we are all pioneers.
I am wholeheartedly prepared to take the lead.
Let us unite in a shared vision and advance forward together.
To the citizens of Ulsan, we sincerely seek your continued support.
Thank you.
WE ARE ALL PIONEERS !
FIRST IN CHANGE, UNIST !
Chong Rae Park
President, UNIST
