Ajou ranks ninth among Korean universities, rising by 100 places in 2024 THE World University Rankings

Ajou University ranked in 501-600th place in the 2024 THE World University Rankings. It moved up this year with better scores in education, research quality, industry, and international outlook than last year. Ajou University ranked in 501-600th place in the recently-released 2024 THE World University Rankings. Among Korean universities, it ranked ninth, jumping by 100 places from its 601-800th rank last year. Times Higher Education (THE) is a UK university assessment institution that releases the World University Rankings annually along with Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The 2024 rankings included 1,904 universities in 108 countries. This year, Ajou University recorded higher scores in most performance indicators compared to last year, with remarkable improvements in research quality & industry and industry & teaching pillars. This is the result of Ajou faculty members’ hard work and the university’s support for research performance and broader application of technology. Ajou University has been dedicated to recruiting excellent faculty members and strengthening its research environment by creating a quality-based outstanding thesis award, expanding research funding for new faculty, inviting quality researchers from overseas academic conferences, and increasing support for international industry-university collaborative research. Furthermore, Ajou University has strived to bolster industry-university cooperation toward ensuring that technology developed at Ajou becomes widely used across society. By participating in government-sponsored projects, including LINC 3.0, Ajou University has expanded its exchanges and cooperation with companies and specialists. It has also made efforts to increase technology commercialization by having its technology commercialization team provide strong, tailored support to researchers. Efforts for education innovation are also underway, such as the “Paran Semester: Ajou Challenge Semester” program. Launched in 2016, the Paran Semester allows students to earn credits by proposing and carrying out tasks. Over a total of 15 semesters, from the first semester of 2016 to the first semester of 2023, 1,623 students in 419 teams have participated in the program. For the second semester of 2023, 186 students in 42 teams are participating. The “Paran Semester: Extreme” and “Paran Semester: MOOC” programs were introduced in 2019 and 2021, respectively, to expand the scope of students’ endeavors and have them tackle more challenging tasks. The Paran Semester: Extreme program encourages students to take interest in social issues and seek solutions themselves. The Paran Semester: MOOC program enables students to choose from among open online courses offered by universities globally, create their own curriculum, and earn credits. Ajou University operates various educational programs in which students participate voluntarily to strengthen their convergence capabilities. Among them are “Course Pairing,” where students solve problems using the knowledge and techniques they have learned from two or more courses; “Micro Major,” consisting of 9 to 15 credits, and “Student-designed Major.” These programs allow students to pursue their studies in specific areas of interest more deeply and extensively. The Student-designed Major program is scheduled to commence from the second semester of this year. Jwa Myeong-hyeon (Department of Mechanical Engineering, 22), the first student to participate in the Student-designed Major program, said, “I created a curriculum related to the basics of topological physics based on mathematics and physics courses. I want to study topological physics and become a researcher involved in diverse applications of this field of study in multiple disciplines, including mechanical engineering.” As topological physics combines physics, mathematics, and mechanical engineering, Jwa plans to take the courses of his choosing over five semesters. In its long-term development plan, “Ajou Vision 5.0,” Ajou University, marking its 50th anniversary, set four goals: cultivation of future-oriented talents, achievement of world-class research outcomes, realization of social values, and achievement of global competitiveness. To this end, Ajou University intends to strengthen new normal convergence education, foster a future value research ecosystem, build an industry-university co-prosperity platform, and promote Ajou as a global university. THE assesses 18 performance indicators in five areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry. This year, the number of indicators was increased from 13 to 18, still in five areas, and a few indicators were renamed. Teaching is assessed based on student-staff ratio, institutional income, and teaching reputation; research environment, based on research reputation, research income, and research productivity; research quality, based on citation impact, research strength, research influence, and research excellence; international outlook, based on international students, international staff, and international co-authorship; and, finally, industry, based on industry income and patents. In the 2024 THE World University Rankings, Oxford University ranked No. 1 for the eighth year in a row. Standford University of the United States ranked second, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranked third. The top 20 positions were largely occupied by universities of the United States and UK. Among Asian universities, Tsinghua University of China ranked 12th globally and first in Asia, followed by Peking University (14th) and the National University of Singapore (19th). Go to # THE - World University Rankings 2024

Summer 2023 “Paran Sadari” performance presentation held

The summer 2023 performance presentation for Paran Sadari was held. Paran Sadari is an overseas training program organized by the Korea Student Aid Foundation to help financially-disadvantaged university students with their self-development and career exploration efforts. The performance presentation was held on September 20 in the video conference room of Ajou University’s Yulgok Hall, attended by President Choi Kee-choo, university staff, and program participants, who had visited George Mason University and University of Washington in July. The students shared their experiences, achievements, and memories of their time during the training. The event also featured a conversation with the president, award presentation, prize lottery, and tea party. This summer, the Paran Sadari program was conducted at George Mason University and the University of Washington, both in the United States. A total of 50 students, including 42 Ajou University students and eight students from two other universities in the Seoul metropolitan zone, were divided into two groups of 25 for each university. The students attended an intensive English program for three weeks in July and August and participated in various experiential activities. George Mason University is a state university engaged in advanced research in Fairfax, Virgina, and the University of Washington is a public university in Seattle, Washington. Park Seung-eun, one of the program participants (Cybersecurity, age 20, George Mason University), said, "While I talked about various topics with students there, I was impressed by their dedication and passion for their studies and life. I made up my mind to become a person who has a dream and works hard to achieve it." Yang Dong-min (Transportation Systems, age 18, University of Washington) said, "I planned to find and record at least one piece of knowledge about transportation related to my major every day during the program. The program gave me a valuable opportunity to broaden my horizons and gain experience." To the students, President Choi Kee-choo said, "I hope the Paran Sadari program helped motivate you to realize your dreams. I urge you to share the valuable information and experiences you have gained with other participants of future sessions.” Paran Sadari is an overseas training program for financially-disadvantaged students. It was originally based on Ajou University’s AFTER YOU program, which was launched in 2015. Organized by the Ministry of Education and Korea Student Aid Foundation, the program has supported training costs for 850 students from 17 universities nationwide. Host universities are divided into: the Seoul metropolitan zone, Chungcheong/Gangwon zone, Honam/Jeju zone, Daegu/Gyeongbuk zone, and Busan/Ulsan zone. In the Seoul metropolitan zone, Ajou University, Ansan University, and Osan University participated. The host universities operate training programs and provide the participants with career mentoring before and after the program. Participants are selected based on their future potential and commitment to self-development instead of credits and language proficiency, which are the criteria used by Ajou University’s AFTER YOU program. The program is entirely funded by the Korea Student Aid Foundation and host universities. Conversation with President Choi Kee-choo Student Park Seong-eun presenting the results of her endeavors # Go to Ajou University blog - [Photo Sketch] 2023 SUMMER GLOBAL CAMPUS

2023 Canadian Scouts say “Thank you, Ajou” upon returning home

The Canadian contingent of World Scout Jamboree 2023 who stayed at Ajou University returned home safely. A total of 200 Canadian Scouts who withdrew from the camping site at Saemangeum due to the northern advancement of a typhoon stayed at Ajou University dormitory and continued their activities there for four days from August 8. A farewell event was held for the Canadian students on the morning of August 12 at the New Student Union Building of Ajou University. On behalf of the 200 members, the leader and students delivered greetings and shared their memories of the World Scout Jamboree and Ajou University. James Cadence said, “Although the situation was not what we expected, we are glad to have had this new experience. We thank Ajou University for offering the best dormitory and meals.” The university prepared refreshments and souvenirs for the Scouts. Drinks were also donated by Kim Jin-hwan, who lives near the university, to welcome and encourage the Canadian Scouts. A total of 200 Canadian Jamboree Scouts, including leaders, arrived at Ajou University in the afternoon of August 8. Although it was an quick decision, as World Scout Jamboree members had to leave Saemangeum, Jeollabuk-do, due to Typhoon Khanun’s advance north, Ajou University acted promptly to ensure the convenience and safety of the Scouts. Dormitory facilities were prepared based on the exact number of Scouts and their gender ratio. As the Canadian Scouts arrived in teams, orientations were held on Ajou University and its dormitory facilities. During the Scouts’ stay, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as snacks such as fruit and fried chicken, were provided in the dormitory dining room. The Scouts participated in various cultural and experiential events prepared by Suwon City, including a tour of Suwon Hwaseong Fortress and visits to galleries, art centers, and museums. The World Scout Jamboree event is organized by the World Organization of the Scout Movement every four years. It is attended by youths aged 14 to 17 from all over the world. This year’s 25th World Scout Jamboree was held in Saemangeum, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do. Before the arrival of the Scouts at Ajou University, welcome kits containing slippers and toiletries were prepared. Fruit, sandwiches, and drinks were also on hand. A resident donated drinks to welcome the Canadian Scouts staying at Ajou University. Posing for a photo at the farewell event with a Canadian flag bearing messages from the 200 Canadian Scouts that stayed at Ajou University Canadian Jamboree Scouts preparing to return home after their four-day stay at Ajou University

20 freshmen of Department of AI Mobility Engineering receive first overseas training at University of Michigan

Freshmen of Ajou University’s newly-created Department of AI Mobility Engineering participated in the 2023 global mobility short-term training program at the University of Michigan during the summer vacation. The program was designed to provide students with international experience and expand academic exchange between the two universities. The training session was conducted at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Michigan, from July 19 to 25, for which a total of 20 first-year students of the Department of AI Mobility Engineering were selected through an application-screening process. The training session was participated in by Prof. Song Bongsop, chair of the Department of AI Mobility Engineering, Prof. So Jaehyun of the Department of Transportation System Engineering, and six graduate students of the Department of D.N.A. Plus Convergence. The participants learned about mobility by attending a seminar given by specialists in the field and touring the university’s facilities. In the specialist seminar, consisting of five sessions, faculty of the University of Michigan and Mando America Engineering Manager Kim Seong-ju gave lectures. From the university, Prof. Henry Liu of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Prof. Peter Seiler of the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, and Prof. Anouck Girard of the Department of Aerospace Engineering were speakers. The specialists introduced students to control technology, tire-road friction control systems, and auto industry trends in North America. Students visited University of Michigan Mcity’s autonomous vehicle test facility, the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, and General Motors’ headquarters, where they learned about the past, present, and future of mobility. One of the training participants, Eom Yu-jin, said, “As freshman, I feel more familiar with the department now that I have attended this overseas training session with my classmates. I also feel that I must learn more foreign languages to expand my horizon to the wider world.” Meanwhile, President Choi Kee-choo visited the University of Michigan and talked with students, giving them some words of encouragement, while he was on a trip to the United States. President Choi said, “I hope this experience helps you pursue your dreams, be courageous and active in exploring your careers, and grow as global Ajou members. ” Ajou University sponsored the cost of the training session for students. The Department of AI Mobility Engineering was created last year and began recruiting students for the first semester this year with the aim of cultivating talented individuals in the area of high-tech industrial convergence who will go on to lead the mobility industry, which integrates vehicles, robots, and transportation. The Department of D.N.A. Plus Convergence can enroll up to 40 students. For 2024, the Department of AI Mobility Engineering will recruit a total 40 students, including 27 through rolling admission and 13 through regular admission. These newly-created high-tech engineering departments, including the Department of AI Mobility Engineering, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and Department of Intelligence Semiconductor Engineering, will offer to waive students’ tuition for one year and guarantee a spot in the dormitory (through High-tech Talent Scholarship A) (only for students who was admitted initially). # Ajou University YouTube channel: watch a video clip on the Department of AI Mobility Engineering # Ajou University blog: Introduction to the Department of AI Mobility Engineering and recommended books Students of the Department of AI Mobility Engineering arriving at the University of Michigan Prof. Peter Seiler of the University of Michigan giving a lecture Students on a tour of the Henry Ford Museum Ajou University AI mobility engineering students at the Henry Ford Museum AI mobility engineering students on a tour of a research facility of the University of Michigan Students at the General Motors headquarters AI mobility engineering students with Prof. Henry Liu of the University of Michigan at the Mcity Test Facility # Ajou University blog: go to photo sketch, “Global Mobility Overseas Training”

2023 Ajou International Summer School

The orientation for the 2023 Ajou International Summer School (AISS) was held. The orientation event took place in Yeonam Hall on July 24 and was attended by about 60 students, including short-term exchange students for the summer school semester and global supporters. Among the attendees were 46 foreign students from 10 counties—Taiwan, Germany, Lithuania, Malyaia, United States, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Thailand, Tunisia, and Finland—including 20 students from Ajou University in Tashkent (AUT). Participants of the AISS program will attend “Managing People in Organizations,” “Macroeconomics,” and “Korean Language” classes, earning three credits over two weeks. In addition, they will take classes on cooking traditional foods, K-Pop dance, and calligraphy and visit tourist destinations such as Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon Media Center, Yongin Everland, Bukchon Hanok Village, Lotte World Tower Seoul Sky, Korea’s East Sea, and Sokcho to gain a better understanding of Korean culture. Since the short-term programs of the Ajou International Summer School (AISS) started in 2000, a total of 17 sessions were held until 2016, with over 1,000 foreign students participating. After the AISS was suspended for three years, an international winter school was conducted online in 2020, during COVID-19, to resume the program. Last summer, the AISS program was held for 20 students of AUT, and this year it was opened to all universities with which Ajou has a sisterhood relationship. Meanwhile, in February 2021, AUT was opened, based on Ajou’s education system and expertise, on land and in a building provided by the Uzbekistan government. Currently, three departments—Civil Systems Engineering, Architecture, and Electrical and Computer Engineering—are being offered for first, second, and third-year students.

Ajou ranked first among Korean universities in 2023 THE Young University Rankings for third consecutive year

Ajou University ranked first among Korean universities in the 2023 Young University Rankings of Times Higher Education (THE), a UK university assessment institution. The Young University Rankings assesses universities worldwide that are 50 years old or younger, and Ajou University has been at the top of such Korean universities for three consecutive years. The 2023 THE Young University Rankings included 605 universities of 78 countries around the world. Performance was assessed across five indicators: teaching, research, citations, international outlook, and industry income. In the rankings of young universities in Korea, Ajou University placed first among general universities. Three specialized universities—UNIST, POSTECH, and GIST—ranked first, second, and third, followed by Ajou in fourth. In the global rankings, Ajou once again placed in the 101-150th category, repeating its performance of last year. Founded in 1973, Ajou University marks its 50th anniversary this year, meaning that this is the last time it will be participating in the THE Young University Rankings. Ajou University has ranked among the world’s top 100 universities for the past three years. Its scores across five indicators have steadily improved, notably in research, citations, and international outlook, which showed continuous increases from 2018. The university has strived to recruit excellent faculty and strengthen its research by: launching an outstanding thesis award based on quality, increasing research funding for new faculty, and promoting international industry-university research. THE’s recognition of these efforts with high scores on the research and citations indicators shows that Ajou University has achieved advancement in its research. In addition, researchers of Ajou University have translated their R&D achievements into technology transfer income, posting an increase in industry income for six consecutive years. Furthermore, Ajou’s efforts on internationalization led to continuous progress every year in the assessment of international outlook. The Center for International Education attracted 612 foreign students from 35 countries, contributing to campus globalization. In addition, Ajou’s faculty members are increasing their collaborative research with overseas research institutions. THE has published the Young University Rankings since 2010, using performance indicators in teaching (30%), research (30%), citations (30%), international outlook (7.5%), and industry income (2.5%). In the 2023 THE Young University Rankings, Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University ranked No. 1, followed by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) Research University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Erasmus University Rotterdam. # Go to 2023 THE Young University Rankings

President Choi Kee-choo discusses exchanges and cooperation with universities in Singapore and Indonesia

President Choi Kee-choo visited local universities and institutions in Singapore and Indonesia to discuss ways of engaging in exchanges and cooperation. From June 9 to 15, President Choi visited Singapore and Indonesia’s Jakarta and Bandung, where he met with key university officials. He was accompanied by Director Kang Shin-goo of the Office of International Affairs and other staff members. In Singapore, he met with Deputy President Ling San of Nanyang Technological University (NTU), a prestigious university of Singapore, and exchanged views on how to promote exchanges of researchers. In Indonesia, President Choi visited Universitas Indonesia, one of the country’s leading national universities, as well as Institut Teknologi Bandung, the oldest engineering university in Indonesia. He also met with officials of Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Universitas Nasional, and Universitas TELKOM. President Choi had meetings with the presidents and key officials of these universities and toured various student spaces and research facilities. Representatives of Ajou and these universities discussed student exchange programs, including internships, an MOU for education and research cooperation, and ways to attract talented students through joint degree programs. During this visit, concrete achievements were made. Especially, Ajou University signed an MOU with Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia and Universitas Nasional to increase cooperation in education and research. Under the agreement, Ajou will launch undergraduate and graduate student exchange programs with these two Indonesian universities and explore tasks for collaborative research, for which the scope of cooperation will be gradually broadened. When President Choi met with officials of Institut Teknologi Bandung, a prestigious engineering university in Indonesia, and Universitas Indonesia, he discussed various means of cooperation, including internship programs with Ajou University and Korean companies, exchanges of students during vacations, exchanges by college and department, and joint degree programs. President Choi and staff also met with high-ranking officials of the Indonesian government and discussed ways of engaging in cooperation in various sectors, including offering a joint scholarship with the Indonesian Ministry of Culture, Education, Research and Technology and opening jointly-funded scholarship programs between the Indonesian Ministry of Finance and Ajou University to attract Indonesian talents to Ajou University. Related departments and administrative staff of Ajou University will continue discussions, going into greater detail, regarding exchanges and cooperation with these universities in Singapore and Indonesia. A meeting with Ajou alumni in Jakarta was also arranged. A total of 20 alumni, including President Choi Jong-uk of MarkAny (Department of Industrial Engineering, admitted in 1978) and Indonesian alumni who had studied at Ajou, were present to reminisce and share their experiences. * Photo above: Ajou University President Choi Kee-choo and his party visiting Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia Ajou University President Choi Kee-choo (left) and Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia President H. M. Solehuddin (right) at MOU-signing ceremony Conference at Institut Teknologi Banddung in Indonesia Ajou University President Choi Kee-choo with Ajou alumni in Indonesia

Training group of U.S. Fullbright KIEA program visits Ajou University

Ajou University welcomed participants of the Korean International Education Administrators (KIEA) program, one of the Fullbright programs. The program is designed to promote the exchange of international education professionals of Korea and the United States. The 12 members of the group visited Ajou University on June 16. Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Kim Kyungrai, Director Kang Shin-goo of the Office of International Affairs, and others from Ajou University met with the group members and explained Ajou’s specialized programs, such as the Paran Semester and Paran Ladder, as well as its international programs and long-term university development plan. The American International Education Administrator (AIEA) program aims to expand the relationships between university administrators in the United States and Korea and promote international understanding and cooperation. The training group included staff of the United States’ top universities, including Duke University, Columbia University, and Emory University. Ajou University will discuss long-term exchanges and extended cooperation with these universities. The Fulbright Program was created to provide financial support for exchanges between universities in the United States and countries around the world, based on the suggestion of Senator J. William Fullbright that educational and cultural exchanges between peoples after the Second World War is the most effective means of promoting world peace. Currently, the Fullbright Program is operated in 160 countries, and the Korean-American Educational Commission (KAEC) is implementing various educational programs for students, professors, and specialists of Korea and the United States.