{"id":3745,"date":"2020-04-17T07:20:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-17T07:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blankaonline.com\/?p=3745"},"modified":"2020-04-17T07:20:00","modified_gmt":"2020-04-17T07:20:00","slug":"skku-interview-part1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blankaonline.com\/en\/internationalization\/skku-interview-part1\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cYou can change the university culture in 20 years\u201d \u2013 How a historical Korean university transformed from a teaching school to a global research university (Part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) has a long history. Founded in 1398, it is one of the oldest private universities in South Korea. In 1998, SKKU drafted its first plan called Vision 2010. To transform SKKU from a teaching school to a global research university, they secured continuous funding through a partnership with Samsung. They also actively hire professors who are engaged in global research and have established a holistic research environment to attract outstanding researchers. In 2011, SKKU introduced Vision 2020 and set a goal of coming among the top 50 universities in the world and the top 10 universities in Asia. In this interview with Professor Sungjin Song, Vice-President, Planning and Regulation Division\/Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Lim Jaehwan, Section Chief, Office of Strategy, Planning, we tried to understand the secret behind SKKU’s success.<\/p>\n

Interviewers: Makoto Yuasa, Ai Kano<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Team structure and the story behind improving the THE ranking<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Makoto\u00a0 <\/span><\/b>W<\/span>hat\u00a0<\/span>is\u00a0<\/span>your role and what\u00a0<\/span>does<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>your department\u00a0<\/span>do<\/span>?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Song<\/span><\/b> \u00a0<\/span>I am the Vice President\u00a0<\/span>for<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>P<\/span>lanning and\u00a0<\/span>B<\/span>udgeting.\u00a0<\/span>I am in charge of planning for the\u00a0<\/span>university\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>growth in education and research and\u00a0<\/span>industry<\/span>\u2013<\/span>university collaboration<\/span>,<\/span> as well as brand<\/span>ing activities<\/span>. I am also in charge of planning the\u00a0<\/span>investment<\/span>\u00a0needed for growth<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>The\u00a0<\/span>public relation<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0team<\/span>\u00a0falls under me<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Makoto\u00a0 <\/span><\/b>M<\/span>ost of the\u00a0<\/span>press\u00a0<\/span>release<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>we saw about\u00a0<\/span>Sungkyunkwan University<\/span>\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>rank<\/span>ing<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>some calling it the\u00a0<\/span>number one private university in Korea,\u00a0<\/span>had\u00a0<\/span>your\u00a0<\/span>quote<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Is it fair to\u00a0<\/span>assume you\u00a0<\/span>were<\/span>\u00a0responsible for improving\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>THE<\/span>\u00a0rank?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Song<\/span><\/b> \u00a0<\/span>Actually,\u00a0<\/span>Lim\u00a0<\/span>[<\/span>Chae<\/span>\u00a0Hwan<\/span>]<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>work<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>on<\/span>\u00a0th<\/span>e<\/span>\u00a0ranking<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>At\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>Vice President\u00a0<\/span>level<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0I am responsible for that.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lim\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Chae<\/span><\/b>\u00a0Hwan<\/span><\/b> \u00a0<\/span>I am in charge of data analytics and\u00a0<\/span>analytics about\u00a0<\/span>rankings<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0but it\u2019s just\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>small\u00a0<\/span>piece<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>There are\u00a0<\/span>other pieces like\u00a0<\/span>brand\u00a0<\/span>image and\u00a0<\/span>public relations<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>which are handled by\u00a0<\/span>other teams<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Song<\/span><\/b> \u00a0<\/span>With<\/span>\u00a0the criteria established by university ranking agenc<\/span>ies<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0it is not possible for\u00a0<\/span>just\u00a0<\/span>one team or\u00a0<\/span>person to\u00a0<\/span>handle\u00a0<\/span>everything<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>This is\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>university<\/span>–<\/span>wide effort.<\/span>\u00a0W<\/span>e have four teams<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span>for planning, budgeting,\u00a0<\/span>public relations<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and carrying out\u00a0<\/span>quantitative analys<\/span>e<\/span>s of university data.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Makoto <\/span><\/b>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>You\u00a0<\/span>have really improved\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>TH<\/span>E<\/span>\u00a0university ranking\u00a0<\/span>in the last\u00a0<\/span>5 years<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>In\u00a0<\/span>2012 or\u00a0<\/span>20<\/span>13<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0it was\u00a0<\/span>ranked\u00a0<\/span>201<\/span>–<\/span>225<\/span>. Now<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0it\u2019s 111<\/span>. That\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>a big jump<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>This improvement has been consistent over the last 5 years<\/span>\u00a0and across<\/span>\u00a0all the metrics<\/span>, including<\/span>\u00a0teaching<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>research,\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>citation<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Song<\/span><\/b> \u00a0<\/span>W<\/span>e have\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>so<\/span>–<\/span>called university vision<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>10<\/span>–<\/span>year<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>d<\/span>evelopment strateg<\/span>y<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>W<\/span>e established our first vision\u00a0<\/span>plan<\/span>\u2014<\/span>V<\/span>ision 2010<\/span>\u2014<\/span>in 1998.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Samsung<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>offers<\/span>\u00a0us<\/span>\u00a0financial<\/span>\u00a0support<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>They joined\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0university in 1996.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Right after that<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0we agree<\/span>d<\/span>\u00a0that we\u00a0<\/span>were\u00a0<\/span>going to transform\u00a0<\/span>Sungkyunkwan University\u00a0<\/span>from a teaching university\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>research university<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>All\u00a0<\/span>our\u00a0<\/span>effort<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>were directed at\u00a0<\/span>nurturing<\/span>\u00a0and educating<\/span>\u00a0our student<\/span>s,<\/span>\u00a0but we\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>re not concern<\/span>ed\u00a0<\/span>about creating new knowledge through research.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

W<\/span>e want to be\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>leading research university<\/span>\u00a0worldwide<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>So,\u00a0<\/span>from 1998 to 2010<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0we just\u00a0<\/span>laid<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the foundation<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>solid\u00a0<\/span>springboard<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and in 2011<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0we\u00a0<\/span>rolled out\u00a0<\/span>V<\/span>ision 2020<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>When\u00a0<\/span>we established that\u00a0<\/span>vision in 2011<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0we set our goal as\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>truly\u00a0<\/span>global leading university<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>We\u00a0<\/span>set\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>goal<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>for coming\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0the top 50\u00a0<\/span>universities in the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>world and top 10 universities\u00a0<\/span>in Asia.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Also,\u00a0<\/span>Samsung<\/span>\u00a0invested a lot of funds<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Samsung\u00a0<\/span>supports us a lot\u00a0<\/span>in\u00a0<\/span>carry<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>out our\u00a0<\/span>plans\u00a0<\/span>in specific areas.<\/span>\u00a0I think\u00a0<\/span>that\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>main driving force\u00a0<\/span>for our growth<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Makoto\u00a0 <\/span><\/b>Y<\/span>ou<\/span>r focus has shifted<\/span>\u00a0from education to research<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0n<\/span>ow to\u00a0<\/span>world<\/span>–<\/span>class<\/span>\u00a0research<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>That\u00a0<\/span>must have been very challenging to execute<\/span>. H<\/span>ow\u00a0<\/span>did\u00a0<\/span>you push for growth and\u00a0<\/span>motivate\u00a0<\/span>people\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>execute the vision and plan<\/span>?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Song<\/span><\/b> \u00a0<\/span>As you <\/span>can\u00a0<\/span>imagine<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>transform<\/span>\u00a0from\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>teaching school to\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>research university<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0you\u00a0<\/span>need to have faculty members who are capable of carrying out global<\/span>–<\/span>level research.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>So<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0right after we\u00a0<\/span>announced\u00a0<\/span>V<\/span>ision 2010<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>we tr<\/span>ied<\/span>\u00a0to recruit\u00a0<\/span>faculty member<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0who\u00a0<\/span>have done\u00a0<\/span>research\u00a0<\/span>at\u00a0<\/span>the global level.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>We\u00a0<\/span>recruit<\/span>ed<\/span>\u00a0many good professors<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>W<\/span>e\u00a0<\/span>are\u00a0<\/span>continually expanding our\u00a0<\/span>pool\u00a0<\/span>of\u00a0<\/span>good faculty member<\/span>s<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>A<\/span>bout 10 years ago<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in around\u00a0<\/span>2011<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>had\u00a0<\/span>1250<\/span>\u00a0faculty members<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Today<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0we have about 1450.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>A<\/span>bout 12%<\/span>\u00a0are international faculty members<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>W<\/span>e try to hire Korean scholars who collaborat<\/span>e frequently at the international level<\/span>. We\u00a0<\/span>first\u00a0<\/span>create an<\/span>\u00a0environment\u00a0<\/span>where people from different<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>cultures\u00a0<\/span>feel welcomed <\/span>and then invite\u00a0<\/span>international\u00a0<\/span>faculty members<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>The reverse<\/span>\u00a0doesn\u2019t work.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Attracting\u00a0researchers\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Makoto\u00a0 <\/span><\/b>D<\/span>id you recruit<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>aggressively?<\/span> Or\u00a0<\/span>did\u00a0<\/span>you\u00a0<\/span>r<\/span>u<\/span>n\u00a0<\/span>program<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that invited\u00a0<\/span>researchers\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>apply for position<\/span>s and threw in\u00a0<\/span>benefits like\u00a0<\/span>a good\u00a0<\/span>salary<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>lab<\/span>\u00a0facilities<\/span>?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Song \u00a0<\/span><\/b>We did everything you mentioned.\u00a0If you are\u00a0a\u00a0really\u00a0good\u00a0researcher,\u00a0you\u00a0have the option of going to\u00a0a renowned\u00a0university.\u00a0Why\u00a0would\u00a0you choose\u00a0Sungkyunkwan University?\u00a0There should be some\u00a0incentive\u00a0for\u00a0coming here.\u00a0I think\u00a0Sungkyunkwan University offers a great\u00a0research environment or research vehicle.\u00a0We try to implement research hubs in strategic areas such as nanotechnology.\u00a0We\u00a0established\u00a0SAINT,\u00a0the\u00a0SKKU\u00a0Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology, which offers a holistic\u00a0environment\u00a0for\u00a0nano-researchers.\u00a0Samsung aids us with this.\u00a0The monetary aspect\u00a0sometimes\u00a0is\u00a0not\u00a0that\u00a0important.\u00a0What matters\u00a0is\u00a0the\u00a0research environment\u00a0that allows you to\u00a0produce\u00a0results that have a global\u00a0impact.\u00a0SAINT was established in 2005.\u00a0Before that, in\u00a02000,\u00a0we\u00a0established\u00a0the\u00a0Academy of East Asian Studies.<\/p>\n

As you know<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0Sungkyunkwan University\u00a0<\/span>has\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>6<\/span>2<\/span>0<\/span>–<\/span>year<\/span>–<\/span>old history.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Sungkyunkwan was the Royal\u00a0<\/span>Academy,\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>every scholar and national officer in\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>Joseon Dynasty\u00a0<\/span>had to\u00a0<\/span>graduate\u00a0<\/span>from\u00a0<\/span>Sungkyunkwan to be<\/span>come<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>national officer.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span> We have two campuses<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0in Seoul and in\u00a0<\/span>Suwon<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>I<\/span>n\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>Seoul campus<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0we\u00a0<\/span>established\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>Academy of East Asian Studies<\/span>\u00a0as the research\u00a0<\/span>hub<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>There\u00a0<\/span>are\u00a0<\/span>no economic\u00a0<\/span>benefits<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0but this is our herita<\/span>g<\/span>e<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0so we cannot just ignore that<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lim\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Chae<\/span><\/b>\u00a0Hwan<\/span><\/b> \u00a0<\/span>This is like keeping their identity<\/span>\u00a0as the oldest higher education organization in modern history<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>W<\/span>hen\u00a0<\/span>Samsung\u00a0<\/span>tr<\/span>ie<\/span>d<\/span>\u00a0to invest\u00a0<\/span>in the\u00a0<\/span>university<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>history\u00a0<\/span>of the university\u00a0<\/span>is\u00a0<\/span>one of\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>factors they consider<\/span>ed<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Research hub\u00a0and long relationship with Samsung<\/h3>\n

Ai <\/span><\/b>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Apart\u00a0<\/span>from nanotechnology<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0is there any other research<\/span>\u00a0hub<\/span>?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Song<\/span><\/b> \u00a0<\/span>After\u00a0<\/span>implementing the\u00a0<\/span>nano<\/span>\u00a0hub<\/span>\u00a0in 2005<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0we established the bio and ICT hub<\/span>s<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Right\u00a0<\/span>now<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0we have the\u00a0<\/span>nano<\/span>–<\/span>bio<\/span>–<\/span>info<\/span>\u00a0[nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology]<\/span>\u00a0in the\u00a0<\/span>Suwon\u00a0<\/span>campus.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>They\u00a0<\/span>largely cater to the\u00a0<\/span>natural science<\/span>s<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>in 2000<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0we<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>established<\/span>\u00a0the\u00a0<\/span>Academy of East Asian Studies<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Right now<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0we\u00a0<\/span>are trying<\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>establish\u00a0<\/span>ACT<\/span>\u00a0(<\/span>art, culture<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and technology<\/span>\u00a0convergence<\/span>)<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Makoto<\/span><\/b>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Let\u2019s talk about your association with\u00a0<\/span>Samsung<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Song<\/span><\/b> \u00a0<\/span>We have a long\u00a0<\/span>history<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0Samsung. W<\/span>e first collaborated with\u00a0<\/span>Samsung in 1996.\u00a0<\/span>Samsung\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0chairman Lee Byung-<\/span>chul<\/span>\u00a0also\u00a0<\/span>served as the chairman of the Sungkyunkwan University Foundation. He\u00a0<\/span>practiced<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Confucianism.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>H<\/span>e underst<\/span>ood<\/span>\u00a0the value of education, research, and<\/span>\u00a0the<\/span>\u00a0beauty of Confucianism.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>From<\/span>\u00a01956<\/span>\u00a0to 1978<\/span>, Mr. Lee\u00a0<\/span>lent his<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>support\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>Sungkyunkwan University.\u00a0<\/span>Then, w<\/span>e\u00a0<\/span>parted\u00a0<\/span>for about 20 years.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Investment is cr<\/span>ucial for a\u00a0<\/span>university<\/span>\u2019s growth,\u00a0<\/span>but\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>students are poor<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0so only\u00a0<\/span>relying<\/span>\u00a0on their\u00a0<\/span>tuition<\/span>\u00a0is not easy<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>When\u00a0<\/span>Samsung became\u00a0<\/span>an established<\/span>\u00a0company<\/span>, they<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>want<\/span>ed<\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>conduct CSR activities<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>T<\/span>hey\u00a0<\/span>decided to\u00a0<\/span>lend their support<\/span>\u00a0to the university\u00a0<\/span>again<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>They also wanted\u00a0<\/span>to have a social impact through<\/span>\u00a0their collaboration with<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>u<\/span>niversity.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lim\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Chae<\/span><\/b>\u00a0Hwan<\/span><\/b> \u00a0<\/span>Giving back to\u00a0<\/span>society<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Education is important to secure\u00a0<\/span>the future of this\u00a0<\/span>country<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0so big companies\u00a0<\/span>like Samsung\u00a0<\/span>try to contribute resources to many universities<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Song<\/strong> \u00a0Samsung donated\u00a0a\u00a0library to Sungkyunkwan University,\u00a0which we now\u00a0call\u00a0the\u00a0Samsung\u00a0Library. They\u2019ve also donated\u00a0libraries\u00a0to\u00a0Yonsei\u00a0University\u00a0and\u00a0Korea University. \u00a0Also,\u00a0Samsung is too big,\u00a0so we can\u2019t help them directly. But the university has\u00a0autonomy and\u00a0we\u00a0can afford to take\u00a0the kind of risks that\u00a0Samsung cannot.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Improving the citation score \u2013 Expanding the pool of core faculty members <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Ai<\/span><\/b>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>D<\/span>o you think\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>impro<\/span>vement<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>citation\u00a0<\/span>metric\u00a0<\/span>is\u00a0<\/span>because\u00a0<\/span>of\u00a0<\/span>your\u00a0<\/span>success with\u00a0<\/span>recruitment<\/span>? Also<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0a<\/span>fter\u00a0<\/span>the change in\u00a0<\/span>management structure<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>how are you\u00a0<\/span>motivating\u00a0<\/span>the people who\u00a0<\/span>were previously associated\u00a0<\/span>with the university to\u00a0<\/span>start<\/span>\u00a0contributing?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Song<\/span><\/b> \u00a0<\/span>If you\u00a0<\/span>know\u00a0<\/span>the university, you\u00a0<\/span>will realize it\u2019s not possible<\/span>\u00a0to push\u00a0<\/span>professors<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>However<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0if we\u00a0<\/span>establish<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0strong<\/span>\u00a0research environment and hire really capable professors<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0research<\/span>\u00a0capabilities<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>they\u00a0<\/span>end up collaborating<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>For example, in SAINT\u00a0<\/span>(<\/span>the nanotechnology<\/span>\u00a0hub)<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0we invited\u00a0<\/span>nano<\/span>–<\/span>researchers<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>from all over the world<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0including Professor\u00a0<\/span>Sumio<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>I<\/span>i<\/span>jima<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>from\u00a0<\/span>Japan and\u00a0<\/span>Professor Michael\u00a0<\/span>Gr\u00e4tzel<\/span>\u00a0from<\/span>\u00a0Switzerland.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>They\u00a0<\/span>now\u00a0<\/span>collaborate<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>W<\/span>e try to not only\u00a0<\/span>recruit<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>our own faculty member<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0but\u00a0<\/span>also<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>facilitate collaboration<\/span>\u00a0among the world<\/span>\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0leading researchers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Makoto\u00a0 <\/span><\/b>Your citation score in THE has drastically improved in the last 5 years. Were there concerted efforts towards this or did it just happen?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Song\u00a0 <\/span><\/b>We try to establish research hubs in an area that\u2019s currently hot, for example, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and ICT. We try to recruit top faculty members, what we call the core faculty. Right now, they form about 8% of the faculty members, but we want to increase it to 10%. One of the criteria to become a core faculty member is that they need to be highly cited. Last year, we had a high-profile researcher\u00a0called\u00a0Park Nam-Gyu\u00a0selected by Clarivate Analytics. We recruited him in 2009.\u00a0We recruit really capable people, and\u00a0we have\u00a0had\u00a0three highly cited researchers\u00a0selected by Clarivate Analytics\u2014the highest among any university.\u00a0Our recruitment department is constantly\u00a0seeking out highly cited researchers.\u00a0If they find someone, they inform the department and contact the researcher.<\/p>\n

Ai<\/span><\/b>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>How\u00a0<\/span>does<\/span>\u00a0the planning department\u00a0<\/span>get<\/span>\u00a0all\u00a0<\/span>the information\u00a0<\/span>to decide which research area will be the next big thing?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Song<\/span><\/b> \u00a0<\/span>There\u2019s actually no way to predict this. We just do our best. For example, if you knew something is going to be the next big thing but you don\u2019t have any people in that area, what are you going to do? Recruiting is not easy. You just need to move on to something for which you have\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>capabilit<\/span>y<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> for Part 2 of the interview.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Professor Sung-Jin SONG
\n<\/strong>
\n<\/em>Executive Vice President Dean of SKKU Institute for Convergence Professor, Mechanical Engineering
\nSungkyunkwan University (SKKU) Suwon, KoreaProfessor Sung-Jin Song received a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea in 1981, a M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in 1983, and a Ph.D in Engineering Mechanics from Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA in 1991. He has worked at Daewoo Heavy Industries, Ltd., Inchoen, Korea for 5 years from 1983. He has worked at Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea as Assistant Professor for 5 years from 1993. Since 1998 he has been at Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea and is currently Professor of Mechanical Engineering.Currently, He is serving as Executive Vice President and Dean of SKKU Institute for Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University. He has served as Vice President for Planning & Budgeting, Dean of College of Engineering, Director of Center for Innovative Engineering Education, and Director of Sungkyunkwan University Hub Center for Innovative Engineering Education, Sungkyunkwan University. He has also served as the Founding President of Korea Association for Innovative Engineering Education and Vice President of Korean Society for Engineering Education.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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