Kijoo Choi Reappointed as President of Ajou University... Elected as 18th President

Daewoo Academy Foundation announced on the 15th that the board of directors has elected Kijoo Choi, the current President of Ajou University, as the 18th president for the next term.

Kiju Choi, President of Ajou University. Ajou University

President Choi, who began his term as the 17th president in February 2022, will have his tenure extended by an additional four years until January 31, 2030, following this election.

During his current term, President Choi has established and is actively implementing the Ajou Innovation AI plan. Through the execution of various policies to strengthen research capabilities, he has achieved visible results, including increasing student enrollment, securing government-funded projects, and expanding the university hospital.

President Choi stated, "I define my new term as a period to establish 'Ajouism,' laying the foundation for Ajou University to become a world-class institution that ranks among the top 100 universities globally and prepares for the next 100 years. With leadership rooted in communication and active listening, I will steadily pursue initiatives such as innovating AI-based curricula, promoting international joint research and securing large-scale group projects, expanding exchanges with leading overseas universities, increasing the number of international students, and adding ESG-related courses."

President Choi graduated from the Department of Civil Engineering (majoring in Urban Engineering) at Seoul National University, earned a master's degree in Transportation Engineering from the same graduate school, and received a Ph.D. in Transportation Planning from the University of Illinois in the United States. He served as the lead researcher at the Urban Transportation Research Division of the Seoul Institute from 1992 and has been a professor in the Department of Transportation Systems Engineering at Ajou University since 1994. From March 2019 to May 2021, he served as the inaugural chairman of the Metropolitan Area Transportation Committee. Since February 2023, he has been a full member in the field of Construction and Environmental Engineering at the National Academy of Engineering of Korea.

To elect the new president of Ajou University, Daewoo Academy Foundation formed a nomination committee and accepted applications for presidential candidates in October. The Presidential Candidate Nomination Committee, established to identify capable candidates by reflecting diverse opinions from inside and outside the university, consists of 10 members: three from the foundation, five from the University Council, one alumnus, and one external member.