UNIST President Park Jong-rae Inaugurated: "I Will Become the Pride of Ulsan, the Land of Pioneers"

"I will develop UNIST into a world-class prestigious university like Stanford and make it a source of pride for Ulsan."

Park Jong-rae, the 5th President of UNIST, delivering his inaugural address

On the 14th, Park Jong-rae, the 5th president of Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), presented a blueprint for UNIST's leap forward at the inauguration ceremony.

In his inaugural speech, President Park emphasized, "Ulsan is the land of pioneers who have led South Korea's economic growth," and added, "The growth of UNIST, which has pioneered a new future on that foundation, is directly linked to the growth of Ulsan." He further declared, "The top priority is to nurture 'PIONEERS-type' talents equipped with creative insight and convergent connectivity." President Park connected Ulsan, which has led Korean industries such as automobiles and shipbuilding, with the current UNIST as 'pioneers.'

President Park proposed three strategies to strengthen UNIST's global competitiveness: △ PIONEERS talent education platform △ customized convergence research platform tailored to each stage of technological evolution △ glocal win-win cooperation platform, aiming to propel UNIST onto the world stage. He added that he would enhance the university's originality and establish a culture of connection and collaboration.

President Park earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in Textile Engineering from Seoul National University and received his Ph.D. from the University of Leeds in the UK. He has served as CEO of Seoul National University Technology Holdings, chairman of the Infrastructure Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Advisory Council, and chairman of the Special Committee on Demonstration Exceptions for Research and Development Special Zones.