President Jeong Kap-young Speaks at Times Higher Education World Academic Summit

—Discusses International Joint Research and Challenges Confronting Asian Universities

On October 1 and 2, Yonsei President Jeong Kap-young participated in the 2015 Times Higher Education World Academic Summit in Melbourne, Australia. Sponsored by Times Higher Education and the University of Melbourne, the summit aimed to share knowledge and experience of global higher education, while enhancing networks between universities, industry, and government. There were approximately 300 participants, including leaders from a number of prestigious universities and a handful of Nobel Prize winners. The summit’s speakers addressed such issues as the challenges faced by global universities, their social responsibilities in educating the next generation, and establishing a global brand.

President Jeong spoke on the topic of international joint research, introducing several projects Yonsei researchers have undertaken with counterparts from other universities. He also highlighted Yonsei’s efforts to establish joint research funding with Seoul National University and found an international research organization. During the discussion that followed, the participants debated the limitations of international joint research and proposed solutions for overcoming them.

Later, President Jeong was a member of the roundtable discussion that concluded the summit. Here, he addressed the shared challenges faced by Asian universities, while emphasizing that solutions for them must take into consideration each university’s unique cultural characteristics. He also stressed the importance of collaboration among universities in order to benefit the entire global community.