Lee Eung-jae was officially inaugurated Monday as the 13th president of Joseon University of Science and Technology, laying out a vision for student-centered education reform and stronger industry-academia cooperation.
The university held the inauguration ceremony at Joy Future Hall on the first floor of Building 2 at 11 a.m. Monday.
The ceremony drew some 200 attendees, including Gwangju Metropolitan City Mayor Kang Ki-jung, Nam-gu District Chief Kim Byeong-nae, Gwangju University President Kim Dong-jin, Gangdong University President Seo Seok-hae and Yeungnam University of Science and Technology President Lee Jae-yong, as well as Kim I-su, chairman of the Chosun University Foundation, Chosun University President Kim Chun-seong, Chosun Nursing College President Park Myeong-hee, and university officials, faculty, staff, students and alumni.
The Chosun University Foundation's board of directors formally appointed Lee as 13th president on April 23, and he began his official term Monday. His term runs through May 31, 2030.
Lee spent roughly 20 years as a professor in the Department of Life, Environment and Chemical Engineering at Joseon University of Science and Technology, focusing on education and research. He also held a range of administrative roles, including director of academic affairs and admissions, director of student employment services, head of the Regional University Revitalization Project, vice chair of the faculty council and department chair.
At the ceremony, Lee unveiled the university's new vision — "Today We Move Forward Together, Tomorrow We Prepare, A New University" — and pledged to lead institutional innovation amid a rapidly shifting higher education landscape.
"In the face of sweeping changes — a shrinking school-age population, intensifying competition among universities, and the rise of AI and digital transformation — universities must go beyond simply transmitting knowledge," Lee said. "They must become centers of innovation that take responsibility for students' futures and drive change in their communities and industries."
sij@heraldcorp.com
