Seoul National University students, faculty, staff, and alumni,
Today marks the 78th anniversary of the founding of Seoul National University. On this occasion, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to all members of SNU, as well as to our alumni, who have boosted the pride of the university in every corner of our society, and to the people of Korea, who have always supported the development of the university with warm encouragement and critical scrutiny.

Since its founding, SNU has been at the forefront of Korea's growth, nurturing the talent the nation needs and helping drive economic and social development through academic research. The university has also been committed to adapting its institutions and operations to keep pace with changing times. In these times, as rapid social, economic, and technological transitions and growing uncertainty threaten the existing paradigm of higher education, it is more important than ever for SNU to build on its traditions while further fostering the engine of innovation. As the saying goes, “opportunity in crisis.” and it calls for wisdom and the will to transform challenges into new possibilities. It is SNU's mission to be at the center of change, providing a vision that creates new opportunities and value, and to move forward steadfastly, even though the process might be difficult.

Dear members of Seoul National University,
As we celebrate our anniversary today, we look back on the history of our school, which has grown into what it is today since its founding in 1946, through “Comprehensivization” in 1975 and “Corporatization” in 2011. The comprehensivization of SNU was a landmark project that embodied the commitment of our predecessors to create synergies in all areas of education, research, and infrastructure. As we approach the 50th anniversary of the comprehensivization, we need to take time to reflect on whether the purpose of the comprehensivization has been fully achieved and what kind of university innovation our generation should be responsible for today.

SNU’s comprehensivization laid the foundation for significant quantitative growth and created synergies in education and research across various disciplines. Yet, it also had the limitation of not fully breaking away from its former character as a decentralized university system. This legacy remains in the university’'s governance and management practices until today. Moreover, without securing autonomy as an institution of higher education, the vastly expanded university has been managed bureaucratically, leading to compartmentalization and hierarchical management within each college and department. To overcome these challenges and fundamentally transform the university’s governance and operations, SNU took the bold step of corporatization more than a decade ago, a move that initiated significant internal innovation. However, it is also painfully acknowledged that the quality of SNU's operations and practices has yet to meet expectations.

Dear members of the Seoul National University community,
As the president of Seoul National University, I have set a goal for “the great transformation of SNU” to inherit the tradition of university innovation established by our predecessors and to continue building on that momentum. This transformation envisions a “free and dynamic education and research ecosystem” and an “open platform that reaches out to the world.” In line with this goal, SNU is currently undergoing a comprehensive transformation in education, research, social contribution, university management systems and methods, and infrastructure.

First and foremost, it is important to create a free and future-oriented educational ecosystem. Therefore, we are working in various ways to foster the growth of talented individuals who think creatively and through convergence without being confined to traditional disciplinary divides. Following the establishment of the School of Transdisciplinary Innovations, we will launch the “University College” next March. The University College will provide education in common core, convergence, and global competencies to help our students grow into “intellectuals who open the future with courage and empathy.” It will also serve as the backbone of open higher education for all SNU undergraduates.

To build a research ecosystem where creativity and convergence can thrive, we are developing transdisciplinary convergence platforms that address the pressing issues facing our society and the world in various fields, including science, technology, economics, environment, and security. We have established the Quantum Research Center to synergize quantum research, one of the nation’s key strategic technologies, and we plan to create a global joint research platform through collaboration with overseas universities and research institutes. At the Siheung campus, we will establish a mega bio cluster that integrates industry, government, and academia by creating a high-tech bio industry convergence research complex. Additionally, we will accelerate the establishment of open research platforms, such as the Contemporary Korea Studies Platform.

The efforts and achievements of our members to innovate social contributions are also expanding to the regional, national, and global levels. In an era of declining population and local extinction, we established the University Alliance Regional Talent Development Project to share SNU's resources with local universities and provide pathways for rural students to develop into capable talents. We have strengthened the role of the Institute for Future Strategy to provide policy alternatives related to national challenges in politics, economics, science and technology, and the environment. Furthermore, by further reinforcing SNU's outreach programs, such as the SNU in the World program, which targets developing countries, we are striving to help our students grow into compassionate global citizens.

For these innovations in education, research, and social contribution to be more vibrant and effective, they must be accompanied by improvements in the operating systems and methods, organizational culture, and administrative support services of the university. In particular, we are implementing measures to enhance the transparency and accountability of budgeting and financial execution, the rigor of program evaluations, and the rationality and fairness of resource allocation. The infrastructure and capabilities that support administrative work and services are also being rapidly upgraded to keep pace with the artificial intelligence era. To address overly layered decision-making structures, rigid bureaucratic practices, and fragmentation between academic and administrative units, each department and the SNU Governance Reform Commission are continuously diagnosing issues and proposing roadmaps for improvement.

Dear members of Seoul National University,
Innovation of the university’s governance and operation is the foundation of a free, creative, and forward-thinking academic community. This goal of transformation is a calling we must fulfill for the sake of the Korean people who have always supported SNU and for future generations; it is also a precious opportunity we have been given. If we reflect on the fundamental purpose of the comprehensivization and corporatization that we have chosen in our institution’s history, and find ways to constructively inherit this purposethem in alignment with the needs of future society, the goal of SNU’s great transformation could be realized more swiftly.

The innovation of SNU requires each of us, along with all its constituent units, to change together. Of course, this process will be unfamiliar and may involve difficulties and discomfort, but I promise to join you in navigating it, with trust and open communication. I will listen to the voices of all members and the public, and I will never cease my efforts to persuade and coordinate to further strengthen SNU's position as a center of collective intelligence that illuminates our society. I will work tirelessly to ensure that the innovations we are pursuing now, building on our 78-year history, become a source of pride for all members of SNU and a beacon for the future of our society. Let's move forward together with vigor, uniting our collective will to take action toward the future of Seoul National University.

Thank you.

October 14th, 2024.
Honglim Ryu
President of Seoul National University