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President, Taejae University

"I have one thing to say to every student who is driven to change the world and shape a better future.
Join Taejae."

Jaeho Yeom

“Great movements often begin small,
propelled by great minds and powerful ideas.”

We are embarking on a new and important journey at Taejae University.
You’ll see how Taejae University will change the world with the power of education.

Recent News

Latest Speeches

Sep 14, 2023

A Warm Welcome to the Inaugural Class of Taejae University.

Great Movements, Great Minds, The Next Answer. These are just some of my thoughts as I put pen to paper to tell you how pleased and excited we are to share that you have been accepted into the inaugural class of Taejae University. I hope you will feel inspired, too, because you have truly inspired us. We are embarking on a new and important journey at Taejae and, thanks to you and your entire cohort, we step forward with a great spirit of hopefulness and high anticipation.

Athens Democracy Forum 2023 - Symposium: Education in the Age of A.I.

  • Jan 23. 2025

    Digital Civilization and Network Society: Cultivating Professional Talent

    "Digital Civilization and Network Society: Cultivating Professional Talent" Oct 12, 2023 I Keynote Speech Summary at Herald Business Forum 2023 in ...

    Keynote Speech at Herald Business Forum 2023 in Korea

  • Jan 23. 2025

    Innovation of Higher Education in the Digital Age

    “Innovation of Higher Education in the Digital Age” Sep 29, 2023 I Keynote Speech Summary at Athens Democracy Forum 2023 in Greece Artificial intel...

    Keynote Speech at ADF 2023 in Greece

Biography

At the helm as the inaugural president, Dr. Jaeho Yeom is a renowned figure in education, dedicating his life to shaping innovative directions for higher learning and envisioning the future of universities.

Dr. Jaeho Yeom serves as the President of Taejae University and as the Chairman of the Council for the Establishment of the Digital New Order at the Ministry of Science and ICT in Korea. He holds a Ph.D. in political science from Stanford University, served as the 19th president of Korea University from 2015 to 2019, and currently holds key positions as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of SK Inc., Chairman of the Board of the Seoul Peace Prize Culture Foundation, and as a trustee at Seoul National University within The Board of Trustees.

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Biography

Jaeho YEOM

President, Taejae University
Education
  • 2018

    Waseda university Honorary Doctor of Law

  • 2018

    Yonsei University Honorary Doctor of Education

  • 1989

    Stanford University, Ph.D. in Political Science

  • 1980

    Korea University, MA in Public Administration

  • 1978

    Korea University, BA in Public Administration

Professional Experiences
  • 2023 ~ present

    President, Taejae University

  • 2023 ~ present

    Trustee, Seoul National University

  • 2020 ~ present

    Professor Emeritus, Department of Public Administration, Korea University

  • 2020 ~ present

    Chairman, Seoul Peace Prize Cultural Foundation

  • 2019 ~ present

    Chairman, the Board of SK Inc.

  • 2018 ~ 2019

    Chair, Innovation and Advancement Committee, Venice International University

  • 2017 ~ 2018

    Chair, Innovation and Development Committee, The Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea (BAI)

  • 2017 ~ 2019

    Steering Committee member, Asia Pacific Rim Universities (APRU)

  • 2015 ~ 2019

    19th President, Korea University

  • 2015 ~ 2019

    Executive Committee member, Universitas 21(U21)

  • 2014 ~ 2015

    Chairman, Evaluation Committee for Public Institution, Ministry of Strategy and Finance

  • 2012 ~ 2015

    President, Korea-Japan Future Forum

  • 2012 ~ 2015

    Chairman, Postal Operations Committee, Korea Post

  • 2012 ~ 2014

    Member, Public Service Evaluation Committee

  • 2012 ~ 2014

    Executive Vice President for Administration & External Affairs, Korea University

  • 2011 ~ 2021

    Board Member, The Seoul Institute

  • 2011 ~ 2013

    Member, National Science and Technology Commission

  • 2011 ~ 2012

    Foreign Visiting Professor, Peking University, China

  • 2010 ~ 2019

    Board Member, The Happiness Foundation

  • 2010 ~ 2018

    Chairman, Advisory Committee for Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

  • 2010 ~ 2015

    Editor-in-Chief, Asian Research Policy President, Seoul Forum for Industry-University Research Cooperation

  • 2009 ~ 2013

    Member, BK21 Project Management Committee, National Research Foundation of Korea

  • 2008

    President, Korean Association for Japanese Studies

  • 2007 ~ 2013

    Advisor, National Election Commission

  • 2007

    President, Korean Association for Policy Studies

  • 2006 ~ 2009

    Board Member, Korea Science Foundation

  • 2005 ~ 2006

    Member, Expert Committee for 2nd Phase of BK21 Project, Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development

  • 2005

    Chairman, Evaluation Committee for Professional Graduate Schools, Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development

  • 2005

    Visiting Researcher, CENTRIM, University of Brighton, UK

  • 2004 ~ 2007

    Advisor, Committee on Human Resources Policy, The Civil Service Commission Director, Institute of International Studies, Korea University

  • 2003 ~ 2005

    Vice-President for Planning and Budget, Korea University

  • 2002 ~ 2004

    Director, Institute of Governmental Studies, Korea University

  • 1997 ~ 2019

    Board Member, Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies

  • 1997 ~ 1998

    Visiting Professor, Griffith University, Australia

  • 1995 ~ 1996

    Visiting Researcher, TARA Center, Tsukuba University, Japan

  • 1990 ~ present

    Professor, Department of Public Administration, College of Political Science and Economics

  • 1985 ~ 1986

    Visiting Researcher, Institute of Business Research, Hitotsubashi University, Japan

Publications
  • 2018

    Pioneering Intellect 개척하는 지성

  • 2004

    Modern South Korea's Civil Society and Interest Groups 現代韓國の市民社會･利益團體

  • 1994

    Dilemma Theory 딜레마이론

Awards
  • 2019

    Order of Service Merit, Blue Stripes

  • 2013

    Order of Service Merit, Red Stripes

  • 1979

    Presidential Award, Korea University

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Message from the President

Great movements often begin small,
propelled by great minds and
powerful ideas.

These are just some of my thoughts as I put pen to paper to tell you how pleased and excited we are to share that you have been accepted into the inaugural class of Taejae University. I hope you will feel inspired, too, because you have truly inspired us. We are embarking on a new and important journey at Taejae and, thanks to you and your entire cohort, we step forward with a great spirit of hopefulness and high anticipation.

A NEW START
This is an endeavor of great significance, for our purpose holds to create the next answer for higher education, to break from old pedagogies, and create an entirely new educational experience. This new experience - this new educational movement-cannot happen without your active participation. We start small, but we move with confidence, surrounded by the great minds of you and your first classmates.

Indeed, as I ponder this new movement and our endeavor together, its importance is also underscored by the recognition that this is the beginning of your tertiary education. I want you to know that I am reflecting deeply on this and that your academic career is foremost in my mind as we prepare to open the doors to Taejae for the first time at the Entrance Ceremony on August 30th.
THE MOMENT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Our endeavor is also of vital importance because of the contemporary moment in which we are situated. I think we can all agree that our shared planet faces incredibly daunting environmental and social challenges, giant hurdles that can be overcome only through sincere and concerted effort. I believe our current reality cries out for individuals of great character to rise and come to the fore. Indeed, our selection process was designed to identify students whose character is defined not only by outstanding intellect and the pursuit of academic excellence, but also of leadership and courage, and an abiding passion for making a positive difference in our world.

You demonstrated these traits in abundance throughout the selection process, showcasing precisely the potential for growth, excellence, and leadership we were seeking for the members of our first Taejae class. We are very much looking forward to playing a role in your development over the next four years and I know you will find your moment to make a difference in our world. I am eager to see what you will accomplish.
ADDRESSING BIG CHALLENGES
Your blossoming as a leader comes at a crucial and propitious time. As we survey the landscape of our modern society, we see that we are surrounded by change. One shift we are particularly focused on at Taejae is the rapid transformations brought about by digital innovation. The pillars of the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution - cloud computing, big data analytics, robotics, Al - are accelerating visible change in nearly all aspects of our society.

The advent of these technologies is not an unmitigated good, as they challenge more than just our individual comfort zones. While they offer economic benefits to some, many of our most vulnerable groups will be harmed. Whole industries are already threatened by the advance of Al. Manufacturing workers have witnessed jobs disappear thanks to advanced robotics. And we already see polarized political movements spring up in response to escalating economic inequality. The world is also witnessing ongoing cultural change and adaptation as vast movements of people cross traditional borders-whether as refugees escaping war or natural disasters, or simply as migrants seeking a better life in another part of the world. How will we welcome and accommodate them? How will they adjust? These are just a hint of the questions and important societal challenges we aim to address at Taejae.
A GLOBAL INFLECTION POINT-WHERE WILL YOU STAND?
My preference is for positivity. I believe we are well on the path to the creation of a global community like we have not seen or contemplated before. Nationalists differ on this, and many analysts say the era of globalization is behind us. But their evidence is scant. Rather, I believe the facts of increasing trade of goods and services, and the flow of people and ideas across increasingly blurred borders is what more closely describes our reality today. Global diversity is growing and that should always be at the forefront of our thinking and shared discussions.

We stand at an inflection point looking forward, not backward. What shape will our new global village take? What are our individual and collective roles within it? And how will Taejae prepare you to play a leadership role?
A NEW EDUCATIONAL MOVEMENT TO CHANGE THE WORLD
Taejae has been established with a clear mission: to pioneer a new educational movement. Our aim is to demonstrate that there is a better way to teach and learn, to research and understand, and - yes - to change the world.

Our classes will always be small, 20 or fewer, sometimes offline or in a cutting-edge digital classroom. The bulk of your classroom experience will revolve around interactive discussion, fueled by Taejae's innovative active learning program. Our faculty members bring diverse international experiences and are world renowned in their respective fields. Whether offline in a classroom or in the lively confines of our metaverse, they will facilitate the great debates and you will be the stars. You will also be embedded into the cultural milieu of five of our planet’s greatest cities as part of our Global Engagement Program. We are proud to stand as the first Korean university to operate a hybrid campus as we seek to demonstrate a new way to break down barriers to global learning.
6 CORE COMPETENCIES
Above all, we are committed to nurturing young minds and shaping the leaders of tomorrow who can help us foster a sustainable future for us all. The guiding vision of Taejae University is to cultivate critical and creative thinking in young minds. We are also committed to self-directed learning, fostering communication and collaboration, diversity and empathy and, of course, global harmony and sustainability. This includes our commitment to delivering world-class student support infrastructure. We are dedicated to developing leaders who will bring forth innovative solutions for the betterment of society worldwide.
GREAT MOVEMENTS, GREAT MINDS, THE NEXT ANSWER
We start this movement with a humble beginning that carries a great purpose. Over time our numbers will grow as new cohorts join, and the demonstration of our success will provide a powerful model for others to follow around the world. Fulfilling this great purpose needs great minds. I’m convinced that in four short years you will have already helped us to establish new and indelible milestones on our journey to demonstrating a better way to deliver higher education. Then another class of Taejae students will begin their own personal journeys. And another. What will happen in a decade? What will be the next answer? I am certain you will show us the way.
Yours sincerely,

President, Taejae University