▲ Professor Ahn Soon-cheol Appointed as New President of Dankook University (Photo from DKU News)

 Dankook University (DKU) embarks on an exciting new chapter with the appointment of Professor Ahn Soon-cheol, a distinguished scholar from the Department of Political Science and International Relations, as its 19th president. The DKU foundation convened an extraordinary board meeting on July 21, making the official announcement of Professor Ahn's appointment. Ahn Soon-cheol's term of office will commence on August 26 and last for a four-year term.

   After graduating from DKU's Department of Political Science and International Relations, Professor An Soon-cheol earned a doctorate in political science from the University of Missouri in the U.S. His association with DKU dates back to 1997 when he assumed the role of a professor within the Department of Political Science and International Relations. Over the years, his contributions have encompassed a diverse array of roles, including graduate program head, director for external cooperation, assistant minister for planning and coordination, dean of the College of Social Science, and chief of staff of the president. Notably, his tenure as vice president of foreign affairs paved the way for his candidacy for the presidency.

   Professor An Soon-cheol has pledged to drive bold development and enhance competitiveness with 'Dankook Upgrade 5.0' as his guiding principle. This vision is supported by seven strategic pillars, including the construction of future education infrastructure, the fostering of exceptional educational competitiveness, the establishment of a sustainable research platform, the creation of a consumer-centered educational environment and university culture, the promotion of an ecosystem of global industry-academic cooperation through entrepreneurial collaboration, the implementation of an international university education framework, and a steadfast commitment to administrative responsibility and faculty well-being through innovative system reforms. Furthermore, ensuring financial stability and efficient management is a cornerstone of his strategy.

   Anticipation is running high within the Dankookians (DKU students) community. Kim Dong-hyun (Junior, Department of Law) stated, "I hope for diversified credit exchanges and joint events with universities in Seoul to expand opportunities for our university students to gain diverse experiences." Park Joon-hyuk (Sophomore, Media Contents Major) commented, "I anticipate that the new president will strengthen industry-academic research to enhance our university's brand power and competitiveness, thereby creating a university that remains resilient in the face of social changes such as a decline in the school-age population."

Development Strategy

- Establishing Future-Oriented Educational Infrastructure and Ensuring Optimal Educational Competitiveness
Revamping educational systems for future education and building supportive structures
Establishing flexible campus interactions between Jukjeon and Cheonan campuses to empower student educational choices
Enhancing educational support for achieving the highest educational competitiveness

- Building a Sustainable Research Platform, Activating Internationally Recognized Research, and Enhancing QS Metrics
Specialization and enhancement of research by campus
Innovating the university research support service system and strengthening research capabilities

- Creating a Student-Centric Educational Environment and University Culture
Improving academic operations with a focus on student learning rights
Enhancing the future-oriented educational environment and student welfare facilities based on student demand
Developing a 'Well-Teaching Dankook': Formulating education strategies tailored to student needs

- Establishing a Global Industry-Academia Ecosystem through Entrepreneurial Collaboration
Establishing school-affiliated enterprises: DKU Medibio (tentative) and DKU F&B (tentative)
Generating a technology holding-based revenue model contributing to university development
Creating an on-campus cluster of industry, academia, research, and administration consortia

- Establishing an Internationally Competitive University Education System
Strengthening international competitiveness
Establishing a university education system of international standards
Realizing 'Global DKU' through diverse international exchanges

- Strengthening Administrative Responsibility and Improving Faculty Working Environment through System Innovation
Administrative organization restructuring for efficient workforce and organizational operation
Establishment of performance-centric personnel management system
Expanding educational support for enhancing staff professionalism

- Ensuring Stable Financial Resources and Efficient Financial Management
Continual growth of university development funds
Enhancing the financial contribution of industry-academia cooperation units
Ensuring stable government support funding and promoting revenue-based sustainability for school enterprises.

   With our new president, the Dankook Herald (DKH) is excited to witness a renewed focus on empowering excellence across all aspects of our university. Through the international educational framework, diverse cultural exchanges, and expanded opportunities, DKH hopes that students' horizons will expand.

*This article was originally written by Dankook University Newspaper and translated by The Dankook Herald.

Find more about the new president on the link below. (DKBS Cheonan)

https://youtu.be/yc-N6KbZxKM