Ajou University President Choi Kiju Inauguration "I Will Pioneer the Path for 100 Years"

Transportation Expert, Serving at Ajou University Since 1994
"Dream Bigger, Imagine More, and Do Not Fear Failure"

At the inauguration ceremony held on the 7th at the Yeonam Hall auditorium of Ajou University, newly appointed President Choi Ki-ju is delivering his inaugural address.

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Professor Choi Kiju of the Department of Transportation Systems Engineering has been inaugurated as the 17th president of Ajou University.

Ajou University announced that the inauguration ceremony was held on the morning of the 7th at the Yeonam Hall auditorium. Representatives of Ajou University members including students, professors, and staff, as well as Chu Hoseok, chairman of the Daewoo Foundation, Kim Seonyong, standing director, and other Daewoo Academy officials attended. Considering the COVID-19 situation, the ceremony was also broadcast live online via Ajou University's YouTube channel.

Chu Hoseok, chairman of the Daewoo Foundation, said in his speech, "Ajou University, approaching its 50th anniversary, has continuously grown and solidified its status as a prestigious private university. The world is rapidly changing, so if we do not walk today, we must run tomorrow, and the power of togetherness rather than alone is necessary." He added, "I hope this year will be recorded as the first year to lay the foundation for new growth and development through the leadership of the new president and the efforts of the members. Please send warm encouragement and support to the new president who has taken on this heavy responsibility."

In his inaugural address, President Choi said, "As an expert who has spent his life building roads, railways, airways, and waterways, I now intend to dedicate my remaining term to the path of Ajou University," adding, "Building on the 50-year history Ajou has walked, I will pioneer the path for the next 100 years."

President Choi outlined plans and aspirations centered on the keywords convergence, connection, innovation, and culture, including ▲establishing new convergence education programs ▲strengthening platform education ▲activating interdisciplinary research ▲attracting large-scale convergence research projects ▲expanding cooperation with regional, local, and specialized universities ▲establishing specialized research institutes ▲improving on- and off-campus infrastructure ▲innovating organizational culture ▲and building cultural assets.

In his speech, he introduced a case where passengers worked together to rescue a person trapped between a subway train and the platform, emphasizing the power of "together" through the "law of three," which states that if there is a person who suggests pushing the subway and two others who follow that suggestion, the situation can be reversed instantly. President Choi advised students to "dream and imagine bigger, and do not fear failure."

President Choi graduated from Seoul National University College of Engineering with a major in Civil Engineering (Urban Engineering), earned a master's degree in Transportation Engineering from the same university's graduate school, and received a Ph.D. in Transportation Planning from the University of Illinois in the United States. Since 1992, he served as a senior researcher at the Urban Transportation Research Division of the Seoul Institute, and since 1994, he has been a professor in the Department of Transportation Systems Engineering at Ajou University.

President Choi has served as ▲an evaluation committee member for fiscal projects at the Ministry of Strategy and Finance ▲a review committee member of the Central Urban Planning Committee at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport ▲chairman of the Bus Industry Development Council at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport ▲chairman of the Korea Committee of the World Road Association ▲and president of the Korean Society of Transportation. In 2019, he was appointed the inaugural chairman (vice-minister level) of the Metropolitan Area Wide-area Transportation Committee at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. President Choi Kiju’s term is four years, from February 1, 2024, to January 31, 2028.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.