Securing Professors with the Best Research and Educational Track Records Hong Jong-hwa Dean of the Office of Academic Affairs For universities to function well in society as institutions of higher education and research, they must among other things secure the best in their faculty. Good professor are crucial both for education and research, and no one will be surprised that recent evaluations of universities conducted by various organizations put a great deal of weight on faculty evaluation. Universities striving to maintain or improve their rankings are in a constant race to invite professors with the best track records or, in the case of new scholars, with the best potentials. They also provide professors already within their folds with the means to heighten their research capacities. Yonsei University fully understands the importance of outstanding faculty in university development and has adopted numerous plans and regulations to secure the best scholars and teachers around the world. Yonsei is working foremost to invite internationally acclaimed scholars to teach and to conduct research at Yonsei as “Chair Professors,” providing special incentives in salary and research funding. Should they be necessary, living quarters and travel expenses will be provided in addition to the salary and funding, so that foreign professors will be able to make the transition our University with ease and efficiency. Yonsei will also move ahead with plans to pursue “Celebrity” professors. Individual colleges and departments will initiate committees to quickly and aggressively seek out outstanding scholars, both in Korea and around the world. We expect this policy to be very effective because individual colleges and departments have a better understanding of the achievements of scholars in their field. The new “Underwood Professor” policy provides incentives for professors already at Yonsei. Yonsei professors who achieve outstanding results will be named Underwood Professor and be awarded increased research funding and reduction in required teaching hours. As part of its Inbound Globalization plan, Yonsei is increasing its efforts to attract international students to come and study at Yonsei and to invite international scholars to become part of our faculty. Within five years, we expect 1,000 international students to be studying full-time at Yonsei and all departments to include at least one international scholar in their faculty. By 2010, 40 percent of all undergraduate courses will be conducted in English, and at least 100 international professors will participate in Yonsei’s globalization. The role of the Office of Academic Affairs is crucial in effectively implementing the policies described above. The Office of Academic Affairs will support the efforts of individual colleges and departments in their search for the best professors in their fields, and make sure that their efforts bear fruit. The Office of Academic Affairs cannot, however, achieve such results on its own. All members of the University must understand the importance of our goals and share in the vision of our future--the vision of a globalized Yonsei.