The 1st Research Administration Knowledge Festival in UNIST Held

Research Administration Knowledge Festival on 18-19: Fostering Field-Oriented Experts and Sharing Know-How on Various Topics

A platform for sharing the vivid knowledge of ‘research administration experts’ who support world-class research is opening.

UNIST (President Lee Yonghoon) will host the ‘Research Administration Knowledge Festival in UNIST’ for the training and exchange of research administration professionals.

This event will take place over two days, from June 18 to 19, at the UNIST Main Administration Building. It will feature 18 lectures related to research administration, as well as various programs such as Research Administration Night, a poster session, and speed networking. Anyone interested in research administration is welcome to attend.

‘Research administration’ refers to administrative tasks required for research activities, aside from research and development (R&D) itself. This includes project planning and management, research fund settlement, procurement, finance (planning), accounting/audit, labor, and technology transfer, all of which require a high degree of specialization. The larger the R&D budget, the more important the role of research administration becomes. Advanced countries have been conducting various activities to secure research administration expertise for decades.

Since its foundation, UNIST has established itself as a ‘research-oriented university’ and possesses extensive experience and know-how in creating an environment conducive to research immersion. This includes the ‘research management system’ to streamline complex administrative tasks, the ‘University Core Research Facilities (UCRF)’ to establish and operate research facilities and equipment, and ‘research administration staff’ who provide close support to researchers.

This event was organized for UNIST to share its accumulated knowledge and experience in research administration and to collaborate with other institutions. Of the 18 sessions, 11 will be led by UNIST professors, staff, and research support personnel, covering a wide range of topics such as research administration know-how and problem-solving case studies. Notably, five presentations will be given by research support personnel who work directly at research sites. These topics and contents are highly practical and can be immediately applied in the field of research administration.

External experts such as Team Leader Son Pildae (POSTECH), Deputy Director Jang Jaeseok (KAIST), Senior Researcher Kim Hyungcheol (Korea Institute for the Advancement of Technology), Director Kim Yoseph (Daedeoknet), Deputy Director Kim Jeongseok (Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology), and Deputy Director Yoo Sinyeol (Korea University) have been invited to give lectures.

Lee Kwangho, Head of the UNIST Research Management Team, explained, “Although there is a growing awareness of the need to enhance expertise in research administration, there have not been many attempts to recognize and develop the expertise of research support personnel actually needed in the field. It is important to recognize the significance of research administration, including research support personnel who work closely with researchers, and to make efforts to grow together.”

This objective aligns with the recent emphasis in Korea on a ‘leading R&D system and advanced research administration.’ At the Presidential Town Hall held in Daejeon last February, ‘strengthening the expertise of research administration personnel to create a research-immersive environment’ was a central topic.

UNIST President Lee Yonghoon stated, “Creating a research-immersive environment is a key condition for building a world-class research-oriented university and for Korea to become a powerhouse in science and technology. In the ‘Research-Oriented University 2.0 Development Strategy’ established by UNIST, fostering research administration professionals is given as much importance as nurturing researchers and developing research facilities and equipment.”

President Lee added, “As UNIST hosts its first ‘Research Administration Knowledge Festival,’ I believe it will lay the foundation for enhancing expertise in Korea’s research administration field. I hope this event will foster greater exchange among research administration professionals and, in the future, spread to other research institutions, including research-oriented universities, accelerating the advancement of research administration.”