APRU Members Include Stanford University, Caltech, UC Berkeley, Hong Kong University, Tokyo University, and National University of Singapore.

On September 18, Yonsei University officially joined the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU).  The APRU was founded in 1997 to establish a network of premier research universities from throughout the Pacific Rim region.  Comprising 45 member institutions, including Stanford University, Caltech, UC Berkeley, Tokyo University, Hong Kong University, and National University of Singapore, the APRU strives to foster increased cooperation in education and research between the universities, while representing their collective interests and providing forums for the universities to meet and discuss issues concerning the Pacific Rim community. 
 Yonsei was chosen to be a new member of APRU in July, following an electronic vote by all the member institutions.  As a member, Yonsei will participate in APRU Senior Staff Meetings, as well as the Annual Presidents Meeting, and it will also propose new projects and initiatives intended to enhance the association and contribute to the economic, scientific, and cultural advancement of Pacific Rim economies.    
 In addition to its inclusion in the APRU, Yonsei has initiated its “G10” project, which will, when completed, constitute a network of ten elite universities from around the globe.  The current members, along with Yonsei, are Keio University, Hong Kong University, Princeton University, Cornell University, UC Berkeley, and King’s College London—and Yonsei hopes to add three more American universities to the consortium in the future.  The current member universities participate in joint educational and research projects, including student and faculty exchanges.  Presently, Yonsei has alliances with more than 600 universities throughout the world.    
 In his comments on Yonsei’s acceptance into the APRU, President Jeong Kap-young said:  “If we compare our university to a country, our inclusion in the APRU is similar to joining the OECD.  Reaffirming the vision of Yonsei’s ‘Third Founding,’ membership in the APRU demonstrates our bright future as a leading global university.”