[Meet the President] Ajou University aims to be the Korean-version Silicon Valley

Ajou University isn’t in Seoul, but that’s a part of what makes it so special, said Choi Kee-choo, the school’s president.

As Ajou University celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, Choi Kee-choo, the school’s president, hopes to explore new ways to expand Ajou’s outreach in and outside Korea. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Ajou University isn’t in Seoul, but that’s a part of what makes it so special, said Choi Kee-choo, the school’s president.

“We’re not ‘one of them,’” he said. “We’re the best in Gyeonggi, and I think that’s a far better position.”

In the past 50 years that Ajou University has existed in Gyeonggi’s capital of Suwon, just south of Seoul, the school, which is best known for its engineering programs, has managed to climb global university rankings and go where very few Korean universities have gone, even establishing an overseas campus.

During a recent interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily, Choi, a renowned transportation expert, talked about Ajou’s strengths and what he expects the university to achieve over the next 50 years.

The following are excerpts from the conversation.

Q. How would you like to introduce Ajou University to prospective international students?A.Ajou University was founded in 1973 based on two agreements signed between the Korean and French governments to exchange culture and technology through education. In the early years of the university’s establishment, students were educated with cutting-edge equipment from France, and French professors directly supervised experiments and training along with our Korean professors. Intensive French language classes were provided to students in small groups, and the campus environment was very global, allowing students to think broadly with a sense of pioneering spirit. For half a century ever since, Ajou University has played many key roles in Korea’s higher education and was the first to introduce several academic and administrative initiatives, such as the student service center. We have a beautiful campus that shows the true colors of each season, and with just 2,000 students per grade at the undergraduate level, which is generally fewer than other universities, it’s a great place where international students can mingle with others.

Ajou students enjoying the school festival at the outdoor theatre [AJOU UNIVERSITY]

You’re at quite a milestone: Ajou University is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and it’s personally been a little over a year since you were inaugurated. How does it feel? It’s been so hectic. I feel like my love and affection toward the school have grown so much over the past year serving as president of Ajou University. After speaking with many people on and off campus, I’ve grown more confident about the path we must take going forward. It’s amazing how much all our members have accomplished over the years, and I feel a heavy responsibility serving as president at such a critical time.

Korean and French guests tour Ajou University after celebrating the school’s first anniversary in 1974. [AJOU UNIVERSITY]

What are some strengths of Ajou University? I can proudly say that Ajou University has stayed true to the essential roles of universities, which is education and research. In the THE [Times Higher Education] World University Rankings 2023, we ranked within the 601 to 800 bracket for the second time in a row, which was the eighth highest rank among comprehensive Korean universities. Especially in the industry income category, we were ranked 162nd in the world, which proves how far we’ve come in technology transfer. In 2021, Ajou made the fourth-highest technology transfer revenue among Korean universities with 5.21 billion won [$4 million] — way higher than the average of 900 million won. By commercializing technology, universities can maximize the utilization of research achievements and contribute to enhancing the competitiveness of companies and the country as well as creating employment opportunities.

International students at Ajou University Graduate School of International Studies celebrate their graduation in July 2022 behind a structure that represents Ajou’s educational philosophy, “A connected world, collaborative intelligence.” [YONHAP]

How do you plan on further globalizing Ajou? We hope to establish more substantial and close exchanges and collaborations with higher-ranking universities around the world. Since taking office, I have visited 10 prestigious universities in the United States including the University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Purdue University to explore possible exchanges. Already from this summer break, about 30 students from our newly established AI Mobility Engineering Department will be visiting the University of Michigan to join a training program. Our goal is to send our students to overseas universities for training at least once during their time at Ajou to enhance their global competence. This year, I wish to visit 10 more overseas universities.

In 2021, Ajou University opened a campus in Uzbekistan called Ajou University in Tashkent [AUT]. How’s everything there? AUT is a combination of Ajou University’s education system and know-how plus hardware such as land and buildings provided by the Uzbek government. About 1,000 students from the first through third years are enrolled in one of three departments: civil systems engineering, architecture, and electrical and computer engineering. Ten faculty members from Ajou University, including the vice president, have been dispatched to AUT and are conducting lectures there with locally hired faculty staff. All classes are conducted in English and are based on our curriculum in Seoul, which is why students are highly satisfied.

Ajou’s campus in Uzbekistan, known as Ajou University in Tashkent, or AUT [AJOU UNIVERSITY]

Were there any dropouts? Only two students have dropped out so far. It’s a very popular school among Uzbek students, and each time we opened admissions, three students applied for each spot available. AUT is running a program with Artel Group, a major company in Uzbekistan, to provide job opportunities after graduation, and we’re planning similar programs with major Korean IT companies.

Do you plan on establishing a campus in any other country? In the medium to long term, we plan to consider expanding into Central Asian and Eastern European countries.

The university’s symbolic Pioneer Statue [AJOU UNIVERSITY]

What are some benefits offered to international students at Ajou University? We provide many different types of scholarships to ensure that international students never give up on their dreams due to financial difficulties. About half of our students are recipients of either the Ajou Global Scholarship or the Ajou Academic Excellence Scholarship. There’s also the Cheer-Up Scholarship, which offers a 1-million-won stipend to those who academically rank within the top 50 percent of their departments. In terms of housing, the university has secured a certain proportion of dorm rooms for international students, and most degree-seeking international students are accepted if they apply. The dorms have staff who are fluent in foreign languages and there are also three prayer rooms for Muslim students. Through the Ajou Global Hub program, we also support international students with internships at domestic mid-sized companies, through which they can be connected with job opportunities.

The Ajou University International Dormitory, an on-campus dorm mainly used by international students [AJOU UNIVERSITY]

What would you like to fulfill during the remainder of your term? I want to create a foundation for Ajou University so that it becomes the Korean-version Silicon Valley. During my term, I will focus on innovating infrastructure on and off campus, enhancing nearby transportation and seeking mutual development with the surrounding local community. I have no time to rest, but it’s going to be exciting.

━ President’s bio

Choi Kee-choo is the 17th president of Ajou University. He has taught transportation systems engineering at the university since 1994.

Choi previously served as chair of the Korean government’s Metropolitan Transport Commission and president of the Korean Society of Transportation. He also was Korea’s chairman of the PIARC (World Road Association) and director of the TOD-Based Sustainable Urban Transportation Research Center at Ajou University, which was funded by the government and the National Research Foundation of Korea.

Choi earned his bachelor’s in civil engineering and master’s in transportation engineering from Seoul National University. He earned his Ph.D in transportation from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

━ About the university

Name Ajou University

Type Private

Established April 12, 1973

English slogan Ajou, it’s a small world

Location Suwon, Gyeonggi

Campus size 479,758 square meters (119 acres)

Undergraduate colleges and departments Colleges: 11 Schools and departments: 40

Graduate schools 13

Students (2022) Undergraduates: 9,705 Postgraduates: 4,007 Total: 13,712

Full-time academic staff (2022) 747

Administrative staff (2022) 342

Employment rate (2021) 72.4 percent

English websiteajou.ac.kr/en/index.do

International students

Students (2022) Undergraduates: 477 Postgraduates: 270 Short-term students (language learning, exchange program, etc.): 448 Total: 1,195

By country Vietnam 41.7 percent China 13.7 percent France 5.5 percent Other 39.1 percent (72 countries)

Department with the most international students (2022) Department of Business Administration

Dormitory acceptance rate (2022) 29.6 percent

Average tuition of self-funded undergraduate students (2023) 3.86 million won ($2,900)

Admissions Website: ajou.ac.kr/iadmissions_en/index.do Instagram: @ajou_iadmissions YouTube: @ajou_iadmissions Facebook: facebook.com/iadmissionsajou/

Office of International Affairs (exchange program)ajou.ac.kr/oia/index.do

TikTok (in Vietnamese) @ajou_vn

BY LEE SUNG-EUN [lee.sungeun@joongang.co.kr]