The fourth Town Hall Meeting was held at John Hannah Hall in KAIST Academic Cultural Complex (E9) on November 6 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. First held in May 2022, the Town Hall meeting is an opportunity for the students to freely talk with the president, professors, and department managers regarding their interests or complaints.

The KAIST Undergraduate Association (UA) and Graduate Student Association (GSA) co-hosted the Town Hall Meeting. 32 faculty members — including President Kwang Hyung Lee, Vice President Doheon Lee from the Office of Academic Affairs, and Vice President Byeong-Kwan Cho from the Office of Research Affairs — and 82 undergraduates and graduate students participated in the event. 

While the past three meetings were formal discussion forums focused on answering the students’ questions, the fourth Town Hall Meeting involved informal conversations between students and faculties shared over dinner. The event consisted of two parts: 30 minutes of icebreaking activities and an hour of dinner with free conversation. Two to three faculty members and five to six students gathered at each of the 14 tables, grouped depending on the questions students submitted in advance. After the dinner, the faculty members at each table presented a quick summary of the discussion to the rest of the participants. Some of the topics covered were the P/NR system, reduction in the R&D budget, and complaints about school meals. Despite the limited time for discussion, this town hall meeting allowed students to have meaningful discussions with the faculty members and deliver their opinions in person. Each department will further discuss the topics mentioned in the future to enhance the students' satisfaction.

KAIST UA President Dongjae Kang said, “Unlike the previous Town Hall Meetings, we tried to focus on creating a comfortable environment to promote communication. We have realized the importance of meeting the students in person and having opportunities for students to communicate with the faculty members in a comfortable environment as it is difficult to deliver one’s opinion directly to the school. We thank all the students for sparing their time as well as faculty members for actively listening to the students’ voices.”