2019-04-10

Ajou University held a ceremony to announce Vision 4.0, its mid-/long-term development plan that includes its future educational directions and philosophy.

The ceremony was held on April 10^th at the University's outdoor theater with Ajou people and local citizens in attendance during the Cherry Blossom Festival celebrating the University’s anniversary (April 12^th) week.

The event kicked off with a progress report on Vision 4.0, followed by congratulatory messages, a video introduction of the Vision, and the reading and announcement of the Vision Commitment. Ajou graduate Da Hee Jung (entrance class of 2010, Department of English Language and Literature) served as the M.C.

Vice President for Planning Jung Ju Choi explained the background and progress of Ajou Vision 4.0, and congratulatory messages were offered by Gyeonggi Provincial Governor Jae Myung Lee, Suwon City Mayor Tae Young Yeom, National Assemblyman Kwang On Park, former Ajou University President Dong Yeon Kim (former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance), donors, Ajou students, and local high school students.

President Park, freshmen (Ju Hwan Kim from the Department of Physics and Yeong Seo Park from the Department of Nursing Sciences), and new faculty (Professor Jae Ung Lee from the Department of Physics and Professor Yoon Mi Oh from the Department of French Language and Literature) and staff members (Seong Ho Kim from Facilities Management Team and Min Cheol Shin from Information System Team) participated in reading the Vision Commitment on behalf of all Ajou people. 

Prior to the main event, the commemorative Vision Tree was planted next to the outdoor theater by President Park, President Hee Sug Ryu of Ajou University Medical Center, President Chang Joon Ahn of the General Alumni Association of Ajou University, Chairman Sang Bae Kim (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering) of the Faculty Council, President Ki Hoon Lee of the Student Council, and University Labor Union leader Ju Yong Kim.

Ajou Vision 4.0 inherits the spirit of its three predecessors – Vision 1.0 for educational reform that was carried out from the mid-1990s and Vision 4U (2.0) and Vision 2023 (3.0) that were released in 2003 and 2008, respectively. This latest vision is expected to lead the University towards its fourth phase (Creating Values) in higher education after Training (Phase 1), Teaching (Phase 2), and Learning (Phase 3) and to pursue future development and sustainability in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Vision 4.0 sets out the University’s plans for education, research, industry-academia cooperation, and institutional culture under the slogan "University that Changes Society with Connecting Minds." 'Connecting Minds' refers to the ability to solve problems in creative and proactive ways by encouraging people from different fields to work together.

The five executive strategies of Vision 4.0 are to seek highly interactive educational innovation, establish highly influential research hubs, develop an ecosystem for innovation in industry-academia cooperation, create shared values by becoming an open campus, and set up the foundation and spread the culture for connecting minds.

President Park said, "The future will be an 'era of connectivity' where individual players are respected and cooperate with one another," adding, "The new Vision will serve as a guide for the University to foster talents who are able to efficiently address problems involving multiple fields."

< From the far left in the above picture are President Ki Hoon Lee of the Student Council, University Labor Union leader Ju Yong Kim, Chairman Sang Bae Kim of the Faculty Council, President Park, President Hee Sug Ryu of Ajou University Medical Center, and President Chang Joon Ahn of the General Alumni Association of Ajou University. >

< Vice President for Planning Jung Ju Choi explains the progress report of Ajou Vision 4.0. >