Strengthening Educational and Research Collaboration with Leading North American Universities
From June 2 to 4, a delegation from Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), led by President Ji-Beom Yoo, visited several prestigious universities in the United States—Brown University, SUNY Albany, and Pennsylvania State University—to further strengthen global academic collaboration. The delegation included Min-Hyo Cho (Dean of International Affairs), Tae-Sung Kim (Dean of the College of Engineering), Professors Jin-Gi Lee (Mechanical Engineering), Yong-Ho Kim (Nano Engineering), and Tae-Woo Nam (Public Administration).
The visit began on June 2 at Brown University, a member of the Ivy League and one of the most prestigious institutions in the northeastern U.S., with which SKKU has maintained academic and research collaboration since 2015. A Joint Workshop in the field of engineering was held during the visit, featuring presentations by eight professors from both institutions and participation from over 30 Brown faculty members and graduate students, highlighting strong potential for future joint research initiatives.
On June 3, the delegation visited SUNY Albany, a research-focused public university within the State University of New York (SUNY) system. The two institutions signed a student exchange agreement and a dual master’s degree agreement between their graduate schools of public policy. These agreements will allow for student exchanges starting in the 2026 academic year. The universities also agreed to hold a joint seminar in public administration at SKKU in late June. Additionally, given that Albany hosts one of the largest nanotechnology research hubs in the U.S. and is the planned site of the upcoming National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), SKKU is exploring opportunities for collaboration and graduate student exchanges in the fields of semiconductors and nanotechnology.
On June 4, the final day of the trip, the delegation visited Pennsylvania State University, a long-time SKKU partner since 1983. During the visit, the two institutions renewed their academic exchange agreement. Since 2019, they have actively operated student and staff exchange programs, and discussions during this visit extended beyond engineering, medicine, and public administration to explore possible collaboration with Penn State’s newly established Korean Studies program.
President Yoo remarked, “This visit to North America has further solidified the foundation for our students and researchers to engage with some of the world’s leading universities. We look forward to achieving tangible and meaningful outcomes across a wide range of disciplines.”
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