KAIST inaugurates 18th president, unveils 'AI Native Campus' vision

KAIST has officially inaugurated Bae Choong-sik as its 18th president, marking a new chapter with the declaration of a university vision: 'Fundamentals First, Innovation Forward.' The inauguration ceremony, held on August 10, served as a platform for President Bae to formally share his operational philosophy and future aspirations with the university community and the public.

President Bae's core philosophy for university operations is 'Continuity & Innovation.' He plans to build upon KAIST's established values of creativity, challenge, and caring, while simultaneously driving innovation across education, research, entrepreneurship, and administration to address the AI transformation and global technological competition.

The new vision, 'Fundamentals First, Innovation Forward,' emphasizes cultivating talent with strong foundational knowledge, including humanities and AI literacy, and fostering an organization characterized by autonomy, responsibility, and efficiency. This is intended to achieve world-class education, research, entrepreneurship, and internationalization.

To realize this vision, KAIST will pursue five key development strategies, dubbed the 'Beyond Series.' These include 'Beyond AI,' focusing on human-centric and democratic AI; 'Beyond Laboratory,' promoting deep tech innovation and global startup ecosystems; 'Beyond Barriers,' ensuring efficient and transparent operations; 'Beyond Carbon,' strengthening climate crisis research and pursuing a carbon-neutral campus; and 'Beyond KAIST,' enhancing internationalization and global connectivity.

KAIST particularly aims to embed AI as a universal tool across all disciplines, not just specialized fields. The university will strengthen foundational and AI-융합 (convergence) education, aspiring to lead AI innovation. Plans also include expanding research in physical AI, quantum technology, and climate/energy, fostering a virtuous cycle from basic research to industrial application and global startups. The university is also working towards an 'AI Native Campus,' integrating AI into education, research, administration, and infrastructure.