▲ President Park Min-won, the 9th President of CWNU

On February 26, Professor Park Min- won of the School of Electrical, Electronic and Control Engineering was appointed as the 9th president of CWNU. This is the first time since its establishment in 1969 that CWNU has elected an alumnus as its president. President Park Min- won is attempting to provide students with a better educational experience by pursuing innovation and reform, in line with the changes of the times. To understand in detail what changes his inauguration may bring to CWNU, The Campus Journal conducted an interview with President Park Min-won.

Q. Please introduce yourself.

Park: Hello, I am Park Min- won, the 9th President of CWNU. I am also the first alumni president of CWNU, having enrolled in 1988.

Q. How do you feel about being inaugurated as the president?

Park: Actually, there was a six- month gap between the election on August 30 last year and the beginning of my term. It is unfortunate that even though CWNU, like other local universities, has faced several crises such as a declining student population and Glocal University Projects, the position of president has been vacant for six months. At the moment, I feel the weight of responsibility more than the joy of taking office.

Q. You have mentioned before that CWNU is in a "crisis situation." What do you think is the most significant problem facing CWNU right now?

Park: There can be internal problems facing students, professors, and all members, but the school needs to be well- received externally. This attracts excellent students and creates a virtuous cycle of development for the school. However, it is not easy to make it happen. The more serious crisis is happening from the physical aspect. The number of students is gradually decreasing, and systematic changes and institutional improvements are needed. At this point, the most important thing is to continue making changes as a sustainable university.

Q. What is the most important goal you want to achieve during your tenure?

Park: Resolving key issues remains a priority. These include the selection of the Glocal University Project and the establishment of a medical school.

Q. What are your specific plans to achieve this goal?

Park: CWNU is a large university that has never experienced integration before. In general, universities have internalized technology for integration. However, our university has not internalized the technology for integration, which makes us feel insecure. The current unstable situation at our university further amplifies this anxiety. As we go through the process of integration to advance the Glocal University Initiative, it is necessary for administrators, professors, and students to understand and internalize integration. This will help the university to develop and run smoothly at all times.

In the case of a medical school, it must take the form of a public medical school. We must avoid a situation where a significant portion of the university's assets is invested in the medical school for the quota of 50 to 70 students, sacrificing the assets that should be allocated to the remaining 1,700 spots in the admission quota. Therefore, I believe that the most appropriate way to do this is through a public medical school format, where the necessary resources are 100% supported by the state.

Q. Lastly, please make a remark to the students at CWNU.

Park: It is free to have a dream. It doesn't cost anything to dream. Therefore, it is important to dream big. However, turning that dream into reality is your responsibility. Without dreaming and making an effort, nothing can be achieved. If the students develop big dreams and do their best to realize their dreams, our university will one day become a prestigious institution, and students will grow into remarkable individuals. I hope you will dream big and do your best to make it happen.

With “communication” as his core value, President Park Min- won promised to create the future development of CWNU together with everyone. We hope that his open- minded, communicative leadership style will be a great strength in leading CWNU and play an even more vital role in contributing to the local community and the nation.

By Jung-hyun, editor-in-chief  jhgongju0903@gmail.com

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