Selected Speeches
Dr. OH Yeon Cheonserved as the President of SNU from 2010 to 2014. These are selected speeches during his presidency.
14th Seoul National University – Hokkaido University Joint Symposium
HIT: 7760
Honorable Hiroshi Saeki, President of Hokkaido University, Distinguished guests from Hokkaido University, My dear professors and faculty members, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I welcome you all and thank you for visiting to participate in the joint Symposium between Hokkaido University and Seoul National University. In particular, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to President Hiroshi Saeki and other distinguished members of Hokkaido University.
Today, Hokkaido University and Seoul National University celebrate the 14thanniversary of a mutually beneficial and stimulating strategic partnership. I can proudly say that the long tradition of the valuable academic partnership between our two institutions has led to academic and research achievements. The tradition of bearing fruitful academic results the collaboration between the two institutions will be continued and expanded.
In the United Nations Academic Impact Forum held in Seoul this August, Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, using the term Intelligentia Social Responsibility (ISR), stressed the need of more active roles by intellectuals to tackle the problems the world faces, such as poverty, illiteracy, human rights violations, and environmental degradation. Now is the time for us to seriously discuss how universities can contribute to the betterment of our society and further to the world.
Seoul National University supports socially vulnerable classes by offering incentives to students from rural areas, providing free medical services for migrant workers, and offering scholarships to students in need of financial support. This fall semester alone, Seoul National has provided full scholarships for 1,034 students in need. Moreover, since 2008, Seoul National has expanded admissions opportunities for students from the socially vulnerable classes and 30 percent of the class of 2012 students will be selected in consideration of their financial status and residency. Through scholarship expansion and more diverse student enrollment policy, we strive to mitigate inequality in the Korean society.
As Korea became the first recipient-turned-donor country in the world in November of 2009 by joining the OECD’s Development Aid Committee, Seoul National University has also implemented several overseas projects to keep pace with the efforts of the national government. In January of this year, Seoul National launched the SNU Global Volunteers Program to establish closer relationships with tertiary education institutions in developing countries. So far, volunteer groups, constituted of professors and students, have visited the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. They not only provided educational services but also tried to improve local living environments by utilizing their expertise. The overseas voluntary services, I believe, will give valuable opportunities for students to practice the spirit of noblesse oblige by utilizing what they have learned.
I believe that the most important social responsibility of universities is the creation of new academic values. To this end, universities should encourage researchers and students to delve deeper into unchartered academic territories. But at the same time, research in conventional academic fields should continue to receive full support as well.
Distinguished guests and ladies and gentlemen,
I am sure that there are plenty more models to study, many of which I hope you will share with us throughout the symposium. I truly hope that the many opinions shared here will contribute to the enhancement of our schools and furthermore contribute to the progress of our societies.
Thank you.
I welcome you all and thank you for visiting to participate in the joint Symposium between Hokkaido University and Seoul National University. In particular, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to President Hiroshi Saeki and other distinguished members of Hokkaido University.
Today, Hokkaido University and Seoul National University celebrate the 14thanniversary of a mutually beneficial and stimulating strategic partnership. I can proudly say that the long tradition of the valuable academic partnership between our two institutions has led to academic and research achievements. The tradition of bearing fruitful academic results the collaboration between the two institutions will be continued and expanded.
In the United Nations Academic Impact Forum held in Seoul this August, Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, using the term Intelligentia Social Responsibility (ISR), stressed the need of more active roles by intellectuals to tackle the problems the world faces, such as poverty, illiteracy, human rights violations, and environmental degradation. Now is the time for us to seriously discuss how universities can contribute to the betterment of our society and further to the world.
Seoul National University supports socially vulnerable classes by offering incentives to students from rural areas, providing free medical services for migrant workers, and offering scholarships to students in need of financial support. This fall semester alone, Seoul National has provided full scholarships for 1,034 students in need. Moreover, since 2008, Seoul National has expanded admissions opportunities for students from the socially vulnerable classes and 30 percent of the class of 2012 students will be selected in consideration of their financial status and residency. Through scholarship expansion and more diverse student enrollment policy, we strive to mitigate inequality in the Korean society.
As Korea became the first recipient-turned-donor country in the world in November of 2009 by joining the OECD’s Development Aid Committee, Seoul National University has also implemented several overseas projects to keep pace with the efforts of the national government. In January of this year, Seoul National launched the SNU Global Volunteers Program to establish closer relationships with tertiary education institutions in developing countries. So far, volunteer groups, constituted of professors and students, have visited the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. They not only provided educational services but also tried to improve local living environments by utilizing their expertise. The overseas voluntary services, I believe, will give valuable opportunities for students to practice the spirit of noblesse oblige by utilizing what they have learned.
I believe that the most important social responsibility of universities is the creation of new academic values. To this end, universities should encourage researchers and students to delve deeper into unchartered academic territories. But at the same time, research in conventional academic fields should continue to receive full support as well.
Distinguished guests and ladies and gentlemen,
I am sure that there are plenty more models to study, many of which I hope you will share with us throughout the symposium. I truly hope that the many opinions shared here will contribute to the enhancement of our schools and furthermore contribute to the progress of our societies.
Thank you.
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