The President of Kookmin University, Yu Ji-su (60), emphasized that there is no future if universities create majors like a department store. He said that universities have to build up a brand power of specialized majors in order to survive the fierce competition and he will compete with others with the Leading School that will represent the University.

President Yu, who took the presidency last month, described Kookmin University as a mid-sized firm.

Competing with major companies or universities, he came up with a plan to strengthen a differentiated consilience major. He said the university’s growth engines have emerged from our colleges and departments but is going to be from consilience centered around leading school. I met with him in the president’s room of Kookmin University on March 30 where we discussed the future of KMU.

-The concept of developing brand power through a consilience major is unique.

'A university is an organization like the god Janus which has two faces, study and education. There are only three types of universities which will survive in the future.

The first is a well financed university and the second is a renowned one: A university which has brand power likened to a company. The third is a university which has both of them. In the business world, a company’s destiny depends on developing core capabilities for a changing environment. The university is similar: We must make a name for ourselves. When our reputation goes up, the money will follow.‘

-What kind of consilience major are you thinking about?

Kookmin University’s foundational major, which is going to celebrate its 66th anniversary this September is Automotive Engineering.

The Automotive Engineering major is one of our leading brands along with Design and Fermentation Fusion. Students have to study engineering, IT, design and humanities. It’s consilience of study combining fusion and complex.

Student’s win prizes and rank high at various competitions like the Formula SAE every year. We are developing a Fermentation Fusion major (food+storing+medicine). This is the mixed model for both undergraduate study and laboratory research. They are all together, not separate.

President Yu, a specialist in the automotive industry, introduced a project named Smart Car, which he witnessed at Stanford University, USA last year as a sample of consilience. He said that He was surprised because students majoring not only in engineering and IT but various types of majors took a part in the project. Business students investigated productive efficiency and law students looked at legal issues. Anthropology and psychology students studied the relationship of humankind and the car.

He explained that banding together for a special project; even though it is not related with your major is the key of consilience.

-How can you implement a consilience major?

 ‘Other Universities might follow us if I give our secret in advance (laughing).’ I am going to invest sixty billion won for establishing the HMI (Human Mobility Institute). I'm also thinking about putting our labs and undergraduate departments together. Eighty percent of our undergraduate majors are engineering and IT and twenty percent are anthropology, sociology, law and so on. Engineers should know about design and anthropology; designers should know business and technique. Anthropology students also should know engineering and design.

-To reform, you should move professors.

It’s not possible with our current college and department system. Each professor has his or her own world.  They don’t follow easily if the president sets the direction. 

-How would you lead professors?

I am going to solve this with industry – university collaboration. I am offering various incentives using external funds. Also I am going to persuade through strong leadership how to collect funds. Then professors will be able to follow me.

Achievement through evaluation is important as well. It should not be a quantative assessment, but should be a qualitative assessment.

He emphasized the communication among professors, staff and students. Since he assumed the presidency, he has removed the president only space in the school parking lot. He also uses the same mug with other participants at the executive meeting. So we send the message that when we discuss and debate, all are equal, even the president.

-What do you think about the government's education policy?

To be honest, I can’t see the direction for admissions.  A few years ago, we were pressed to diversify and now we are ordered to simplify. I think the entrance exam should be consistent. What can we do in this situation where policy is changing by regime and minister.  There are many limits in administration. When the government evaluates, they only count the ratio of full time professors among all professors. So universities want to hire them only.

-The tuition problem was a hot issue even when it was cut by 2%.

I am against cutting tuition across the board. Should we cut tuition for students who drive their own fancy cars? I think financially underprivileged students need to get the actual benefits.