Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) has celebrated its 80th anniversary.

Founded in 1946 by Haegong Sin Ik-hui, a key figure in the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea and the first Speaker of the National Assembly, the university evolved into a leading institution setting the standard for higher education in South Korea. This transformation was driven by the educational philosophy of “entrepreneurship,” rooted in a spirit of community and pragmatism, after Seonggok Kim Sung-kon acquired Kookmin Academy in 1959, recognizing the urgent need to cultivate talent for the development of the nation and its people. With the establishment of the College of Fine Arts in 1975, the Department of Information Management in 1984, the Graduate School of Political Science in 1995, the Graduate School of Sports Industry in 1996, the College of Architecture in 2001, the College of Automotive Convergence in 2014, and the Graduate School of Asian Olympic Studies in 2025. Based on this history of “firsts,” the university is recognized for achieving balanced growth across education, research, and industry-academia collaboration.

This developmental trajectory is also reflected in concrete performance metrics. Kookmin University has ranked 13th and 14th overall in university evaluations by media outlets for the past two consecutive years and was selected as the most improved university among Seoul-based institutions over the past decade. In the research sector, the university has demonstrated its competitiveness in both education and research by securing approximately 135 billion won in government research projects last year alone, focusing on national strategic fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, and robotics.

● ‘KMU VISION 2035: EDGE’ Presented as Vision for the 80th Anniversary

To mark its 80th anniversary, Kookmin University has proclaimed ‘KMU VISION 2035: EDGE’—a paradigm shift toward the next 100 years—to secure its unique competitiveness amid an era of major transformation characterized by a declining school-age population and the full-scale adoption of AI. EDGE is a concept that encapsulates the core strategies Kookmin University must adopt in this rapidly changing era, centered on Entrepreneurship, DX (Digital Transformation), Global Competence, and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance).

This goes beyond merely setting a direction; it represents a concrete implementation strategy for how Kookmin University will innovate its educational and research structures. Based on this plan, Kookmin University has established the vision of becoming “a university that sets new standards for higher education” and introduced the slogan “Make the Rule, Break the Rule.”

● Establishing Eight Specialized Fields as New Growth Engines

This strategy is being implemented with a focus on eight specialized fields. The university has designated △Design & Content, △Mobility, △Quantum, △AI+X, △Robotics, △Advanced Materials & Semiconductors, △Water, Energy & Environment, and △Bio as the core pillars of its new growth engines. Kookmin University’s ultimate goal is to organically integrate education and research around these eight fields, generate outcomes directly linked to solving industrial and social challenges, and solidify its brand identity as a “university strong in both education and research.”

In the Design & Content sector, the university is achieving results that go beyond the domestic top tier to gain recognition on the global stage. A prime example is the launch of the international design award “DBEW Award” in collaboration with the Italian Industrial Design Association (ADI). In its first year, the award attracted over 840 entries from 44 countries, drawing significant attention from the global design industry.

The quantum field is a core strategic area where Kookmin University is taking a proactive approach. Starting in the 2027 academic year, the university plans to establish the College of Quantum Convergence, comprising the Department of Information Security and Cryptography—recognized as the best in the country—as well as the Department of Quantum Convergence Engineering and the Department of Energy, Semiconductor, and Chemical Engineering. It also plans to introduce a 20-qubit quantum computer to strengthen its educational and research infrastructure. Last July, it became the first university in Korea to announce a “Quantum Campus,” marking the launch of a platform that integrates research, education, and commercialization. In particular, the university has demonstrated its competitiveness in the field of quantum technology by successfully developing a top-tier quantum cryptography module and securing 21.6 billion won in contracts for defense technology research and defense industry projects.

The fields of bioengineering and robotics are key new growth engines that Kookmin University is actively strengthening. Kookmin University established the College of Bio-Convergence and built an education and research system encompassing the entire bio-industry, centered on the Department of Forest, Climate, and Environmental Sciences; the Department of Bio-Material Convergence Engineering; the Department of Bio-Medical Sciences; the Department of Convergence Bio-Engineering; and the Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering. Following its selection for the bio-sector of the Financial Support Program for Universities Specializing in High-Tech Industries, the university has also been named a participant in the Bio-Industry Technology Development Project, demonstrating its educational foundation and research competitiveness to lead the bio-industry.

● A University Strong in Both ‘Education’ and ‘Research’

This trend aligns with Kookmin University’s long-standing strategy of becoming a “university strong in both education and research.” Kookmin University has continuously pursued the simultaneous strengthening of education and research to enhance the university’s overall competitiveness.

In the field of education, the university is establishing a foundation for convergence education that breaks down the boundaries between majors and disciplines. This includes expanding the Major Choice System, through which it admitted the largest number of students (828, or 30.4% of the enrollment quota) among major universities in the Seoul metropolitan area for the 2025 academic year.

In the research sector, the university is also accelerating efforts to build a foundation for enhanced global competitiveness. It is creating a virtuous cycle by actively recruiting outstanding overseas faculty members with proven research achievements to advance research capabilities and expand international collaborative research and academic exchanges.

President Jeong Seung-ryeol stated, “Kookmin University is an institution that has grown through ‘challenge and innovation’ over the past 80 years,” adding, “Based on a spirit of challenge that is unafraid of failure and an entrepreneurial DNA, we will cultivate ‘challenge-oriented talent’ who can blaze their own trails and create new possibilities even amid a rapidly changing technological environment.”