In March of 1991, Yonsei University established a new goal to become a world-renowned university leading the world in both student education and state-of-the-art research. For the first time in Korea, Yonsei University founded the Office of Research Affairs to assist faculty members in their research and improve the overall research environment.

Yonsei University established the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation (IACF) in March of 2004. The IACF is composed of three departments. The research support department is in charge of research contracting and research funding distribution. The research promotion department is in charge of research development policy, research information management, accounting and human resources. The industry-academic cooperation department is in charge of industry-academic cooperation, intellectual properties and technology entrepreneurship.

The Office of Research Affairs is developing Yonsei University into a vanguard research institution through developing a researcher-friendly environment, efficient research funding management, establishing cooperation between academia and industry, and technology commercialization.