—Joint Research Projects to Solve Social Issues Facing Korea
—The Nation’s Top Private University and Top Public University Join Hands to Strengthen International Competitiveness

On June 18, Yonsei and Seoul National University (SNU) signed an MOU calling for greater research cooperation and collaboration to address a number of issues affecting Korean society now and in the future. As Korea’s leading universities in education and research, Yonsei and SNU will be undertaking joint research projects designed to benefit society and increase Korea’s international competitiveness.

Beginning this year, the two universities will invest 500 million KRW each year for the next five years in a collaborative research fund. In the fields of science and technology, research projects focusing on neurological diseases, gerontology, and climate change have been created, while in the humanities and social sciences, the priorities are developing a national strategy to prepare for Korean unification and enhancing the well-being and happiness of Korean society.

Although each joint research project is planned for five years, it will be possible to extend a project for an additional three years following a review by the universities.

Looking forward, Korea faces a number of pressing challenges in the social, political, and environmental spheres. The reunification of North and South Korea remains an urgent issue, while the Korean population is rapidly aging, such that by 2025 the majority will be senior citizens. At the same time, environmental pollution and energy depletion are issues faced by nations throughout the region. This groundbreaking MOU, then, is specifically designed to find solutions to these problems—and many others—facing Korean society now and in the years to come. The fact that each of the joint research projects will unfold over a number of years means that a premium is being placed on creative and interdisciplinary thinking. This is different from government-supported research projects, in that the government usually asks for short-term results from the universities in exchange for funding.

The current theme of the Yonsei-SNU partnership is “Overcoming difficult challenges through science and technology for the future of society.” After the public was given an opportunity to comment on the most pressing issues facing Korean society, the two institutions formed five collaborative research teams, with twenty Yonsei professors, representing eight different colleges, joining twenty-two SNU professors from eight colleges. In the words of Yonsei President Jeong Kap-young: “These joint research projects do not constitute competition but rather collaboration that will provide mutual benefits. They will greatly contribute to the well-being of Korean society and the advancement and competitiveness of Korean research.”