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허향진 총장 '2014년 신년사'
President Huh Hyang Jin’s new year greetings to JNU family

Members of Jeju National University community!
The year of the Horse is here with us. I wish you the very best for your health and happiness in the new year of 2014.
I also hope that with the celebration of the 62nd university anniversary, Jeju National University gains increasing national and international recognition as a brand-name university.
Our university’s financial outlook was grim due to global economic recession and uncertainties last year; nonetheless, I felt upbeat about our significant accomplishments achieved during the past year.
According to the announcements released by the Ministry of Education, Jeju National University ranked 2nd and 6th in student employability among the National Education Center for GIS (NECGIS) and the 22 national and NECGIS institutions, respectively.
The high ranking attained is significant when Jeju region’s economic weaknesses and lack of major industrial establishments coupled with the mismatch between what students’ demand and what the regional job market can offer is taken into consideration.
So, it was gratifying that the university earned a high ranking (sixth) in educational conditions and accomplishments six years in a row. Also, as the result of JNU being designated as a Global Teachers University, our graduates are able to seek teaching jobs overseas.
In particular, Jeju National University received national press attention on the rankings of excellence in performing projects under Leaders in Industry-university Cooperation program.
In spite of relatively modest institutional size, the university earned the credits for capability and values by successfully attracting the 7-year grant sum of 10.8 billion won as a “BK Plus 21 Project” participant, and earned government designation for a center of excellence as national Green Campus University, marine vaccine research center, and leading business incubation university.
I believe our university’s global status has also risen. As of the end of last year, we have established academic and student exchange programs with 179 universities and 25 organizations from 27 countries, consolidating the global networking basis of our university.
Faculty members’ research accomplishments followed suit.
Among a number of research achievements, birth of a healthy calf cloned from a dead Jeju black cow received worldwide attention.
According to the results of an analysis of research papers published by national university faculty members during 2010~2012, JNU professors at all ranks showed a significant increase in research output, with full professors showing the highest rate of research productivity among the national universities’ counterparts. These performance records have been made possible through your enthusiastic efforts and dedications.
I take this opportunity to sincerely thank my faculty colleagues and staff members for their steadfast dedications to research and teaching.

My dear university family members!
This year again the internal and external perspectives surrounding the university pose a challenge.
Park Geun Hye administration’s university reform plan calls for an immutable evaluation of all universities in five grades, and it appears that those receiving less than the top grade are mandated to reduce enrollment.
Specifically, grade 4 “inadequate” and grade 5 “very inadequate” universities will be required to cut down their enrollment capacity substantially, and those with the poorest quality of education among the latter group may be forced to close.
Government’s financial support is expected to be apportioned based on the evaluative grading.
Universities of grade 1 “Superior” through grade 3 “Good” will be allowed to participate in all financially supported projects, whereas others of lower grades will be largely excluded from receiving government sponsored scholarships and education loans.
Furthermore, universities ranked “Very Inadequate” may not be allowed to receive government sponsored scholarships and permitted only to limited educational loans.
Evaluative grading will be based on both existing quantitative data and qualitative appraisals of university quality, regional conditions and contributions, specific developmental strategy, infrastructure reform and actual records, thus demanding our serious efforts.
Accordingly, we will face new changes and severe challenges this year again.
Competition among the nation’s universities will be fiercer and the society’s request for university reform will be tougher.

My dear colleagues!
Let’s not be afraid of changes! What we need now is an ardent desire to progress through changes. We cannot be in status quo if we are to insure the hopeful future. 
To make sure that our efforts are fruitful, we must be firm of purpose.
There will be no future if we are content with things as they are. Let’s overcome fear of changes and face the new year with hope and enthusiasm!

Dear members of university family!
There was an election to pick candidates for the 9th presidency last November. I sincerely regret that we had some conflicts among the prospective candidates due to somewhat inadequate election rules.
However, that’s now over with. The election process temporarily divided us, but we must re-unite to face the rough challenges of the future together, because we are all destined to work united.
I am grateful that the four presidential candidates I had seriously debated about the university development. I hope to consider the ideas and proposals articulated by my four opponents during the campaign in administering the university for the next presidential term.
My current term as the 8th president of the university is coming to the end in a few days.
I ask for your continued cooperation for the successful completion of various projects in the remaining days.
I look forward to working with you in the new year of “Gap-Oh” and wish you the prosperous 2014.

Thank you.

February 2, 2014
Huh Hyang Jin
President, Jeju National University