Seoul National University College of Engineering Held the “Issue & Voice” Kick Off Forum to Discuss Korea's Future

“We need to reflect on whether our research has truly been challenging.” (Professor Jeong-dong Lee, Seoul National University)

“The SNU College of Engineering is too fragmented, with issues such as the inflexible management of enrollment capacity.” (Woo Il Lee, former Vice Chair of the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology, former Dean of the SNU College of Engineering)

Seoul National University's College of Engineering, which has driven the advancement of science and technology as well as industrialization in Korea, held a forum for deep self-reflection. On the 4th of this month, the “Issue & Voice” forum titled “SNU Engineering Discusses Korea's Future” was held at the SNU Engineering House, with 50 professors in attendance. The forum focused on diagnosing the crisis facing the college and exploring potential solutions. Moving forward, the SNU College of Engineering plans to hold 4 to 6 forums annually, addressing critical scientific and technological issues such as artificial intelligence (AI) and carbon neutrality.

The first forum concentrated on diagnosing the current reality and causes of the crisis facing the College of Engineering. It highlighted societal trends like the preference for medical schools over STEM fields and competition from newer engineering universities like KAIST and POSTECH. According to the SNU College of Engineering, around 850 new students are admitted annually, but only about 750 graduate, with approximately 100 students leaving to pursue medical or pharmacy degrees. Additionally, criticisms regarding the college’s closed and inflexible organizational structure, which has diminished its competitiveness compared to other universities, have surfaced. Dean Young-oh Kim of the SNU College of Engineering remarked, "We plan to thoroughly analyze both our past and current standing, and design the next 50 years innovatively. We aim to establish a distinct vision for our talent development and create a new technological ecosystem."

◇ Calls for Reflection and Innovation

During the panel discussion, a wave of self-reflection on the state of the SNU College of Engineering emerged. Kim Jun-sang, a senior advisor at Kim & Chang and a former Ministry of Information and Communication official, noted, “The demand for AI talent exceeds the current capacity of SNU’s graduate schools. Flexibility is needed in student selection, size, faculty, and curriculum.” He pointed out that the current student cap for advanced fields like AI and semiconductors makes it difficult to secure talent. He emphasized the need for self-reflection to understand society's technological demands, student needs, and the resources and technological capabilities of the SNU College of Engineering. Professor Jeong-dong Lee of SNU added, "We need to conduct research that looks 10-15 years ahead of the private sector, and be willing to fail early, turning those failures into public assets for the industry. We must also pursue our own bold, long-term research without relying on others."

The forum also called for innovation. Experts highlighted the need for the college to find its unique role and focus on nurturing talent. POSCO Chairman Jang In-hwa, in his keynote speech, stated, “China has already surpassed Korea, and securing talent is becoming increasingly difficult.” He diagnosed a crisis in Korean engineering and urged SNU to cultivate creative and interdisciplinary talent. Yoon Ji-woong, president of the Korean Association for Policy Studies, stated, “The age of specialization is fading, and the era of convergence is upon us. We must combine humanities, social sciences, and STEM to solve complex challenges.” Former Korea Electric Power Corporation President Chung Seung-il added, “The SNU College of Engineering should build a foundation for bold challenges in core and fundamental technologies, enabling the creation of breakthrough technologies.” Former Vice Chair Woo Il Lee also remarked, "SNU Engineering should go beyond mere technological achievements and initiate discussions on the societal issues resulting from technological outcomes, taking the lead in addressing those issues."

◇ Establishing a Distinct Vision for Talent Development

The SNU College of Engineering plans to invite prominent figures from society as guest professors to hold regular forums and continue these discussions. Additionally, it will consolidate its scattered faculty to support interdisciplinary research in fields such as defense engineering, space, robotics, carbon neutrality, and AI. These efforts are part of Dean Kim Young-oh’s broader initiatives to reform the college, which have gained momentum since his inauguration in June. Dean Kim stated, “To stay ahead of the issues, we have initiated an internal project called ‘Keep Watch,’ where researchers gather in advance to prepare for societal issues related to science and technology.”

The College of Engineering also plans to establish a unique vision for talent development. Through this initiative, it aims to cultivate global talent known for excellence, interdisciplinary knowledge, and creativity. Dean Kim elaborated, “We plan to define 5-7 core competencies that align with this vision, including a spirit of challenge capable of transforming the world.” Based on this newly created vision and core competencies, the college will develop new curricula and reorganize extracurricular programs. Furthermore, key agenda items include data-driven personalized education and the creation of an open campus.