Kiseon Kim, the 8th President of GIST.
I will strive to create a happy GIST, where everyone is taking charge:
Kiseon Kim, the 8th President of GIST.
You’ve recently assumed office as the 8th president of GIST. Please tell us your thoughts on that.
I am looking forward to the next 4 years as the president of this institution where I will be growing with you, the GIST family.
GIST began as a government-sponsored, research-focused graduate school in 1993. Since the undergraduate GIST college was established in 2010, the institution has grown into a strong research-focused university through by cultivating technology
leaders and by R&D of cutting-edge science technologies. I have also evolved with GIST for 25 years as a professor from the
start, educating students in ICT fields and conducting research in convergent technologies.
I am keenly aware of the significance of the role of the presidency that has been bestowed on me as well as the weight of
responsibility for GIST, for the local community, for the region, and for the nation from the science and technology community’s perspective. For glocalized contribution where GIST, a research-focused university, pioneers, I will be faithfully and responsibly
execute my responsibilities as the president of GIST.
You started the slogan of ‘We Are GIST.’ Could you elaborate more on your new motto?
In a nutshell, ‘We Are Gist’ means that everybody in the GIST community is the head of the family.
Basically, I want everyone in the community take ownership of this institution and advance towards the vision of GIST as
‘a cradle of creative science and technology for the future.’ I want to remind you that the word ‘gist’ in English means
‘focus; core; point.’ The center of GIST’s value is based on better management ethics. I want to create an academic, research,
and work environment where everyone in the community, including students, staff, and visitors protect each other’s rights and has respect for each other. In addition, I will strive to shape GIST as a place where the members of the community
can empathize and communicate with each other based on an ethical management system and everyone can live in a safe
and happy atmosphere.
GIST celebrated 25th birthday last year. At the starting point of another quarter of a century,
what does GIST's future look like for you?
In the last 25 years, GIST has grown as an exemplary institution among research-centered university.
Now, GIST holds a new mission to cultivate leaders in technological innovation for the 4th Industrial Revolution.
We should redefine GIST College as a model for national post-secondary education, and make it a liberal arts college for a
technology-centered future society. We need to reinforce convergent technology research and education and contribute to the revitalization of the regional economy through cooperation with the AI-based Industrial Convergence Complex, which will be
concentrated near the GIST campus.
In addition to education and research on convergent technologies, we need to reinforce international cooperation at GIST.
We have to create a smart international campus ecosystem by sharing a variety of global values so that members of the worldwide community can engage in research and educational activities, interconnecting regional communities with the global
community. Through these goals, I aspire to make GIST a place where global experts want to visit and gather in the
southwestern region of Korea. I would like to emphasize again, that the growth of university cannot be separated from the growth of the region where it resides. Recently, there has been a lot of success stories around the world where universities have the main role of regional innovation in various technology-centered societies. GIST should be an exemplary case study at the
regional and national level by becoming a pioneering innovator with its world-class AI data center at the AI-based Industrial
Convergence Complex. More specifically, we need to take the lead in advancing the capabilities of national AI research and
startups by growing the economy of southwestern Korea through the creation of advanced jobs using AI technological
convergence. Through these activities, we should make the local population proud by contributing to the growth of global
industries centered around the region.
Finally, do you have any comments as the new president of GIST for the members of the GIST community?
As I mentioned before, we need the continuous commitment of various stakeholders as well as the members of our community to achieve our goals. Success is not measured only by the result of a single quantitative indicator.
Happiness and satisfaction in the process, in addition to trust and transparency between stakeholders and the members of our community, must be sustainable. Students who are striving for their future, staff members who work for the improvement of
national technological prowess, and short-term workers who keep our campus beautiful and safe, they are all the members of
the GIST community.
To realize ‘We Are GIST,’ we will always communicate with our members of the community. I won’t hurry, and I will carefully
listen to even the smallest voices. I will be the center of the process where all members of community take charge of this
institution and create for themselves a workplace where they feel happy. I will revisit a variety of project that GIST could not
finish in the past. Consistent and diligent work is the basis of sustainable and formidable growth.
As we have worked towards our vision in the last 25 years, let us advance towards the challenges we face in the next 25 years.
