Sogang University Holds 『VISION 2030』 Proclamation Ceremony
- Full-fledged action to achieve the designation of ‘top 3 Research-Oriented University’ by 2030 as a leader in research, industry-academia, and startups -
- Declaration of a new leap forward as a ‘university that contributes to the development of the human community through value creation’ -
At 5 p.m. on June 22 (Tuesday), the proclamation ceremony of ‘Sogang University’s 『VISION 2030』’ was held in the auditorium of St. Ignatius House to announce the vision and development plan for Sogang’s new future.
This proclamation ceremony was prepared as an occasion for all members to unite and participate in the new changes and innovations at Sogang, launched with the announcement of the ‘Sogang University’s 『VISION 2030』’, which was established based on opinions collected from members inside and outside the school over the past four months.
The event was attended by key figures from the school, including President Sim Jong-hyeok, Chairperson Park Munsu, Jesuit Korean Provincial Fr. Kim Yong-su, and Sogang Alumni Association Chairman Kim Kwang-ho, as well as key figures from the Sogang Development Committee and Advisory Committee, both of which were launched in May. The ceremony was also attended by Kwon Hyuk-bin, chairman of Smilegate and the Hope Studio Foundation (chairperson of the Sogang Development Committee), Chairperson Sohn Byung-doo of the Sogang Advisory Committee, National Assembly Member Suh Byung-soo, Emeritus Professor Jeon Joon-soo, Chairman Hong Seong-yeol of Mario Outlet, CEO Kim Tae-hoon of Banksalad, and CPA Lim Won-hyun.
The vision-proclamation ceremony was moderated by Dean Kim Sang-yong of Campus Ministry Affairs and was carried out in the order of a prayer for blessing, a vision-establishment progress report by Executive Vice President Song Tai-kyong of Academic Affairs, President Sim’s welcoming speech, the Sogang University’s 『Vision 2030』 video presentation, congratulatory speeches and remarks from Chairperson Sohn Byung-doo of the Sogang Advisory Committee and Chairman Kim Kwang-ho of the Sogang Alumni Association, a congratulatory cake-cutting ceremony, and the student club Tripathy’s video celebration performance.
▲ (From left) Dean Kim Sang-yong of Campus Ministry Affairs, Executive Vice President Song Tai-kyong of Academic Affairs
Leading things off, Executive Vice President Song Tai-kyong of Academic Affairs delivered a progress report, saying, “From February 1 to June 12, 2021 , groups such as the Development Planning Committee, Divisional Development Planning Research Committee, and Development Planning Task Force Team were formed to deliberate on Sogang’s future direction, the goal being to collect the opinions of all members in reviewing Sogang University’s core strategies and tasks, focusing on 21 tasks, in particular.”
In his welcoming speech, President Sim Jong-hyeok expressed his will for reform, which is comparable to the school’s second establishment, in order to ‘achieve top 3 as a research-oriented domestic university’ and ‘enter the top 100 global universities’ by 2030. In particular, President Sim revealed his dream of a university that leads industry-university cooperation, a research-oriented graduate school, and internationalization, with the aim that the university can focus all its capabilities on establishing its status as an international-level research-oriented university with the goals of achieving ‘top-ranked status for a domestic university in interdisciplinary convergence research, second in humanities and social sciences, third in natural engineering, and first in technology transfer through industry-university cooperation’ by 2030.
A presentation followed on the seven goals across the areas of ‘Sogang values, undergraduate education, graduate education, research, industry-university cooperation, internationalization, and administration,’ along with tasks for 21 core strategies, under the vision of ‘a university that contributes to the development of the human community through value creation.’ According to the vision announced on this day, over the next 10 years, the university will establish an AI+X convergence graduate school, newly establish AI cutting-edge departments in future industries, such as data science, robotics, and healthcare, and form an AI industry-academia-research cooperation cluster to keep pace with the current AI era and prepare for the future post-AI era.
In addition, the Sogang Entrepreneur Center will be expanded and reorganized to revitalize industry-academia-research cooperation to oversee startups and digital innovation and to establish a world-leading foundation in future technologies, such as ‘AI, bio, and digital humans,’ with the goal of entering the global top 100 universities.
▲ (From left) Chairperson Sohn Byung-doo of the Sogang Advisory Committee, and Chairman Kim Kwang-ho of the Sogang Alumni Association
After the video presentation, Sogang Advisory Committee Chairperson Sohn Byung-doo and Sogang Alumni Association Chairman Kim Kwang-ho delivered congratulatory speeches and words of encouragement. Chairperson Sohn said, “In order for this time of far-reaching sympathy and wisdom to continue well into the next 10 years, everyone must come together for success with a unified heart. Only then can we become a world-class convergence university.” Sogang Alumni Association Chairman Kim said, “Our wish for a new Sogang – a Sogang-value-centered Sogang that pursues harmony and care over conflict and antagonism – is becoming a reality,” adding, “The school’s 100,000 alumni will unite and work harder for the development of Sogang.”
▲ (From left) CPA Lim Won-hyun, Mario Outlet Chairman Hong Seong-yeol, Emeritus Professor Jeon Joon-soo, National Assembly Member Suh Byung-soo, Sogang Alumni Association Chairman Kim Kwang-ho, Former President Sohn Byung-doo, President Sim Jong-hyeok, Chairperson Park Munsu, Smilegate Hope Studio Chairman Kwon Hyuk-bin, Jesuit Korean Provincial Fr. Kim Yong-su, Banksalad Chairman Kim Tae-hoon
For the congratulatory cake-cutting ceremony that followed, President Sim, Chairperson Park Munsu, Jesuit Korean Provincial Fr. Kim Yong-su, and other key figures from the Sogang Development Committee and Advisory Committee took to the stage. In a congratulatory message delivered after the ceremony, Sogang Development Committee Chairman Kwon Hyuk-bin (founder of Smilegate and co-founder of Sogang University’s Art & Technology Center), said, “The two keywords ‘globalization’ and ‘future innovation,’ which embodied the great visions of our foreign elite missionaries at the time of Sogang’s early establishment, must be taken up once again at present.” He then elaborated on his will to “Spare no effort in providing objective consulting and support for alma mater in assuring Sogang’s leap forward to stand at the forefront of global business.” He also urged those around the school’s core foundation and management to re-create a ‘Great Sogang, Different Sogang, and Special Sogang’ while pursuing change.
▲ Chairman Kwon Hyuk-bin of the Sogang Development Committee delivering a congratulatory message
Finally, a celebratory performance by the school’s official student cheer group, Tripathy, followed. The performance was screened over video, with consideration for the non-face-to-face situation. In celebration of the vision-declaration ceremony, Tripathy presented a dynamic performance to the song ‘For Sogang,’ which was created with ‘BenchWeLeo,’ a band formed of school alumni.
Kim Seong-hyeon (Media & Entertainment ‘19), the leader of Tripathy, who was in attendance at the ceremony as a student representative, said, “In an era when it is difficult to truly feel unity and closeness, we can still sense that we are connected under the Sogang banner,” and added, “I hope that our cheers have given you strength and comfort, and we wish to always support Sogang’s new future with a unified mind.”
The event ended with a group photo for all attendees and the second part of the event unfolded for VIPs. The specific development plan and vision announced on this day are detailed on the school website (▶Go to ‘Sogang Vision 2030’), while the video for the vision-proclamation ceremony sketch can be viewed on the school’s official YouTube account.
▶ Sogang University 『VISION 2030』 proclamation ceremony sketch video (Shortcut)
▶ Sogang University’s Vision 2030 and development plan video (Shortcut)
▲ Sogang University’s 『VISION 2030』 Proclamation Ceremony Commemorative Group Photo (June 22)
