Korea University: President Chung Jin Taek receives an honorary doctorate in science from Waseda University in Japan

President of Korea University Chung Jin Taek received an honorary doctorate in science from Waseda University in Japan on October 23 (Sunday) at noon.


Waseda University announced that President Chung received this honor for his contributions to the development of the field of engineering through his abundant knowledge and outstanding insight, as well as for his contributions to the development of Korea University and the nation.

President Chung received the honorary doctorate in front of Waseda University alumni who attended the 57th Waseda University Homecoming Day held on the same day.

Chung Jin Taek became a professor at Korea University in 1993, and then served as the director of the Engineering Education Center, the director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, the vice president for Development and External Affairs, the chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the dean of the College of Engineering, the dean of the Graduate School of Engineering & Technology, the director of the Korea Techno Complex, and the dean of the Graduate School of the Management of Technology. In March 2019, he took office as the 20th president of Korea University and put forward the goal of “Human KU, Creating New Values,” and is pursuing a strategy to respond to the advent of the 4th industrial revolution and rapid social and educational changes. He established the vision of “cultivating creative future talent, engaging in research that produces social value, and making a more active social contribution” in order to fulfill the role that universities should play in the era of advanced science and technology. In this light, he is striving to nurture creative talents with a spirit of global competitiveness for the advancement of the society of the future.


Off campus, he serves as the vice president of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea, the president of the Korean Association of Private University Presidents, the president of the Korea University Sport Federation, the president of the Seoul Campus Town Policy Council, the vice president of the Korean Council for University Education, and the chairperson of the 5th Science and Technology Basic Plan Establishment Committee, which is under the auspices of the Ministry of Science and ICT.


Waseda University praised President Chung highly for excelling in his responsibilities in numerous important positions, and for having outstanding research achievements. He received the Minister of the Knowledge Economy’s Industry-University Collaboration Merit Award and the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers Award for the Outstanding Paper in 2012, and the Academic Award from the Korean Society for Fluid Machinery in 2013. He has been active in various academic fields as both the president and vice president of the Korean Society for Fluid Machinery, the president and vice president of the thermal engineering division of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers, the director of the Korean Society of Combustion, the director of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers, and a member of the editorial board of an English-language journal. In 2021, he received the Distinguished Leadership Award for Internationals from the University of Minnesota.

In his speech after receiving his honorary doctorate, President Chung Jin Taek said, “This honorary doctoral degree is the fruit of the friendship and cooperation built up between Waseda University and Korea University, prestigious private universities in Japan and Korea, and will become a symbol of our promise to continue to exchange and develop together in the future […] In any era, in any society, in any field, people are the main agents of history. In an era of uncertainty, creativity and innovation will lead the world, and creativity and innovation are based on diversity, mutual harmony, convergence and consilience. The philosophy of ‘Human KU’ that I pursue means that these core values will be realized when an environment is created in which all members of KU are respected as human beings with individuality, and are enabled to maximize their abilities. As an engineer, I put people first because I believe that a technology-oriented society that lacks the ethical and moral compass which allows it to carefully consider how beneficial a technology is to humankind will eventually fall into chaos. Therefore, I believe that Korea University should continue on the path of nurturing creative global talent that puts people at the center.”

He went on to say, “I established the Diversity Council in 2019, right after taking office as university president, in order to create an environment and conditions in which members of the KU community of different genders, nationalities, races, and religions can cooperate with each other in a spirit of respect and creativity. Last year, I established the ESG Committee, an organization directly overseen by the president, as a forum in which key elements of sustainable development, such as eco-friendly initiatives, socially responsible management, and the improvement of governance can be discussed, and I am committed to innovation and the making of a social contribution imbued with a sense of responsibility for the future of humankind in all aspects of education, research, and student affairs. Korea University is growing into a place that can have a profound impact on the world by nurturing creative future talents. […] Waseda University, ahead of the 150th anniversary of its founding in 2032, has devised the ‘Waseda Vision 150’ agenda, which consists of four elements which it encourages: students of the highest caliber and character who show promise in being able to contribute to the world; research that will ultimately contribute to realworld peace and happiness in human society; graduates who will contribute to the public good as global leaders; and a university that earns the trust of the world and constantly upholds the spirit of reform in order to continuously evolve. As ‘Waseda Vision 150’ is ultimately of the same ilk as the goals pursued by Korea University, I am confident that the two universities will be able to walk the path of mutual growth through cooperation in the years to come.”

President Chung concluded his speech by saying, “In 1973, when Korea University first had academic exchanges with Waseda University, then KU President Kim Sang-hyeop emphasized that Korea University was established by Korean citizens on the basis of private contributions as a school that is open to all, and he stressed that Korea University should become ‘a plaza of openness and a hall of freedom […] where various beliefs and religions, diverse worldviews and value systems, and a range of hypotheses and theories meet to create new truths.’ Although 50 years have passed, I think that this idea is still valuable. Therefore, as I receive my honorary doctoral degree while commemorating the 140th anniversary of Waseda University, I propose that the two universities continue to work as partners in creating these new truths together.”