On November 11, the International Relations Team conducted a distinguished lecture series by speakers from University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (UIUC) Doctor Robert A. Easter, Doctor Lawrence B. Schook, and Doctor Andreas C. Cangellaris in the Matrix Hall of the KAIST Institute (KI) Building (E4). UIUC is one of the world’s greatest centers of education and research discovery, and has an annual operating budget of more than five billion United States dollars. Doctor Foster, who is currently the president of UIUC, highlighted the critical role of higher education as well as the importance of staying connected and relevant in the marketplace. He also focused on the myriad of partnerships among the three campuses of UIUC and universities in South Korea.

Doctor Schook, Vice President for Research for all three campuses of UIUC, implemented the forward thinking approach in the university to catalyze and foster innovation. The alumni of UIUC have achieved milestones in establishing successful startups and many prominent companies around the world. More than 400 research projects with funding from industries across the nation have helped UIUC gain its standing as one of the most competitive federally funded universities. UIUC was the only university included in the top 10 patent generators in Illinois. His advice as to initiate further growth of KAIST was to invest more in startups and encourage innovations.

Doctor Cangellaris, who is the dean of the College of Engineering at UIUC, introduced the university’s priorities and goals in science, technology, and engineering. He stated that changing the world through bold ideas and visionary leadership was one of the main objectives of UIUC.