Executive chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Klaus Schwab received a conferral of honorary doctorate degree at KAIST. Doctor Schwab was invited on September 7 for a conferment ceremony, which was held in the Fusion Hall of KAIST Institutes Building (E4) with about 200 guests attending. After the conferral ceremony, Doctor Schwab gave a lecture on the "Influence of Destructive Innovation on Society." During his lecture, he explained how the advancement of technology and geopolitical factors fundamentally change our lives.

President Schwab was recognized for his contributions to leading the WEF and for his efforts to resolve international disputes based on his deep insights of the future and outstanding leadership. President Schwab also demonstrated his capabilities as an economist. Since 2004, he led the writing of 'The Global Competitiveness Report', which is considered to be one of the most reliable documents used to evaluate a country's competitiveness.

Furthermore, President Schwab took much interest in training entrepreneurs and global leaders. In 1998, he founded the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship; in 2004, he founded The Forum of Young Global Leaders in which 500 young leaders under 40 participated.

President Schwab was born in Germany in 1938. He received a doctorate degree in Economics in the University of Fribourg, a doctorate degree in Engineering in Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and a masters degree in Science of Public Administration in Kennedy School of Harvard University. He was appointed as the youngest professor at Geneva University and taught business administration for over 30 years.

President Schwab is considered as one of the most influential figures in the world. He founded the European Management Forum (EMF), a mother foundation of the WEF, to discuss and study the development of world economy. EMF was later expanded into a world forum as economists from other parts of the world joined.

Today, the WEF is considered as one of the most influential forums for world leaders, ministers, leaders of international organizations, and CEOs of financial circles to exchange information and share their perspectives on current situations and the future of the world. Due to the forum's members' levels of influence and their roles, the WEF is gaining reputation as the "world's most influential community".