The following is the full text of President Suh, Nam Pyo's address at his inauguration ceremony on July 14, 2006:

Our long-term vision and the current focus for KAIST is no less than achieving the following ultimate goal: KAIST will become one of the best scientific and technological universities in the world, and, as such, the region around KAIST will become a major hub for high technology industries in Korea and the world.

I believe there are three major goals for KAIST. The first is to produce the next generation of leaders for society, industry, and academia. The second is to build the knowledge base and create technologies that will shape the future of humankind. The third goal is to provide public service that will change our world for the better. If we achieve these goals, in the years to come, KAIST will be the place where innovative, new ideas and concepts are created that change the way people think and approach challenging issues. It will be where leading theories and disruptive technologies are generated. Most of all, it will be the place where our planet's future leaders - in all fields of human endeavor - are groomed through the rich education and varied experiences they receive and the professional and personal relationships they form. I believe KAIST can be all this, and more, through the concerted efforts of our faculty and students.

To achieve this, we must take a number of steps.

KAIST must emphasize research at the two ends of the research spectrum. At one end is fundamental research that generates basic principles, laws, and paradigms. At the other end, we must emphasize technological innovation. We must demonstrate how cuttingedge technologies, when applied effectively, can make a great impact on society.

History has demonstrated that the most important advances are often made at the boundaries between different intellectual disciplines. KAIST therefore must foster institutional mechanisms that facilitate collaborations across many disciplines.

In addition, KAIST must encourage pioneering work and intellectual risk-taking on the part of our faculty and students. KAIST researchers should be leaders, not followers. In the future, new disciplines will emerge either through the convergence of existing disciplines or through new scientific discoveries or technological innovations. KAIST must be at the forefront of these new disciplines. It is easier - and more exciting - to be the leading institution in new fields, to be the "thought leader" rather than the follower. As they say, the view is better as the head sled dog!

We need to be mindful of research since graduate education at KAIST is conducted through research. At the same time, KAIST must also provide an excellent undergraduate educational program. It is in the undergraduate program where students learn to think as scientists and engineers. In the undergraduate program, we must emphasize design so that our students learn to be creative, in addition to learning how to analyze using scientific paradigms.

In the past, KAIST has made contributions to Korea by generating graduates who have made Korea a net exporter of high-technology goods and manufactured consumer goods. Future graduates of KAIST must have the ability to work in a global economy. They should be trained and exposed to the cultures and customs of other nations so that they can operate globally in technical and managerial fields.

Human resource development must be the concern of the entire KAIST community as well. KAIST must promote intellectual stimulation, interaction and collaboration at all levels. The administration must support the participation of faculty members in international forums and work with their counterparts in other countries. In the 1930's, most of the major developments in physics took place within 200 miles of Berlin because of the interactions that leading physicists could have by being able to meet easily. Today the distance our faculty must travel to have these interactions is global and virtual.

An equally important issue is attracting more women students and faculty. They are important intellectual resources, who should be fully engaged in science, technology and management. As the father of four daughters, a grandfather of one granddaughter and a husband of one wonderful woman, I can assure you that women are smarter than men.

Finally, KAIST must secure solid financial resources. Simply put, we will need much more money than KAIST has now, and we must also use the funds we have wisely by investing in the ideas, people and resources that will yield the most return. I believe that the budget of KAIST must increase substantially to compete with the best universities in the world; we need to double the KAIST budget during the next four years. This will require the support of everyone here and all the people in Korea. I am confident that the investment in KAIST will contribute to the future growth of the Korean economy and provide a better quality of life for everyone in this country and elsewhere. A significant investment in science, technology, education and research will help guarantee a vibrant economy and prosperous nation in the 21st century and beyond.

Nam Pyo Suh

President

KAIST