ON FEBRUARY 1, Professor Yoon Dong-sup was inaugurated as the 20th president of Yonsei University. Yoon was named president among a total of five recommended candidates in the election that began in October, 2023. He is the first president in 12 years to have been elected from the College of Medicine, making him the fifth president from the college overall. With a long resume of experience in key positions, most notably the president and CEO of the Yonsei University Health System (YUHS), Yoon is decidedly a proven leader. Dividing his vision into four categories—governance, education, research, and finance—Yoon has devised strategies aimed to welcome a brighter future for all members of Yonsei. The Yonsei Annals explores Yoon’s background and commitments. 

Welcoming a new president

   As a leader of the university, the president is in charge of overseeing various aspects, including administrative affairs, finances, the educational system, and overall management. Not only is he in control of internal affairs, but he exerts substantial external authority as well. Embracing the essence of a presidential system, Yonsei University has welcomed a total of 19 presidents in the past, each with notable contributions to the school’s academic legitimacy and rich legacy.

   Presidential candidates go through four evaluation stages: candidate invitation, candidate selection, policy evaluation, and nomination. Out of the willing candidates, four or five are selected by the President Candidate Recommendation Committee. Then, the Committee of Professors conducts a policy announcement event and a policy debate, which is immediately followed by a vote from the evaluation group. This determines the three final candidates, whose names are submitted to the Board of Directors. Through a deliberative process by the Board of Directors, Professor Yoon was finalized as the 20th president of Yonsei University on Oct. 25, 2023.

   Yoon commenced his four-year term at the inauguration ceremony, which took place in the Concert Hall of Centennial Hall at 11 a.m., February 1st. Numerous attendees, including Heo Dong-soo, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Kim Jin-pyo, Speaker of the National Assembly of South Korea, Ban Ki-moon, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Lee Kyoung-ryul, President of the Yonsei Alumni Association, participated in the event. The program consisted of an appointment speech by Heo, succeeded by a question-and-answer session on the president’s pledges. After that, President Yoon swore an oath and gave an inauguration speech, which was followed by congratulatory addresses from the participants.
 

A proven educator and leader

   Born in 1961, Yoon graduated Gyeongnam High School, then obtained both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in medicine from Yonsei University. In 1999, he began his career as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at Yonsei’s College of Medicine, and obtained a Doctorate of Medicine from Korea University in 2003. After this, he returned to Yonsei as an Associate Professor, and became a full professor in 2008. He is known for having expertise in treating pancreatic cancer, and in 2006, was awarded the Best Clinical Instruction Award[1].

   Yoon is also a renowned leader with multiple previous roles in the medical community. Starting from his internship in 1987, Yoon’s journey led him to becoming the 13th director of Gangnam Severance Hospital in 2018, marking almost three decades of service[2]. It was during this period that he started his career in hospital administration by taking the roles of Deputy Director of the Emergency Care Center and several key positions in the QI (Quality Improvement) Office. Since August, 2020, he has served as the president of the YUHS and the Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs. Under his leadership, both Gangnam Severance and the Yonsei University College of Medicine witnessed a sequence of notable achievements. Gangnam Severance successfully earned its highest profits with the annual operating revenue reaching ₩400 billion, while Yonsei’s College of Medicine ranked first in the country and 32nd worldwide[2]. Such accomplishments are notable considering the challenges posed by the global outbreak of COVID-19. In May and September of 2022, Yoon was appointed President of the Korean Hospital Association (KHA) and the Korean Medical Education Council, respectively. Such a background highlights his reputation as an academic leader and representative in the medical field.

Opening a window to the future

   President Yoon has emphasized the importance of “연세다움” (Yon sei da um), which translates to "Yonseiness," throughout his election campaign. Yoon has stated that Yonseiness embodies “governance centered on respect and communication,” serving as a guiding principle for Yonsei as it navigates the crossroads of crisis and opportunity[3]. Yoon’s main pledges are divided into four sections: governance, education, research, and finance, each based on the value of “Empowering Yonsei.”

   Governance is focused on innovating the administrative system and improving faculty salaries to suitable levels. For education, Yoon has devised a “Self-Designed Semester System,” where students can choose one semester before graduation to dive into various areas of study. During this semester, students will choose from a variety of minor, double major, micro major, and interdisciplinary major classes as well as discuss their self-designed curriculum with professors through a mentorship system. As for research, Yoon emphasizes transdisciplinary practices to enhance global research competitiveness. He aims to achieve this through progressively implementing a full tuition support policy for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduate students. In terms of finance, Yoon will focus on diversifying financial income. Aiming to expand intensive funding and introduce new fundraising systems, he plans on increasing profits as well as financial stability.

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   “Our university is no longer a domestic university. We are now growing towards becoming a global top 30 university, and this is no longer a level that can be developed by forcing anything[3],” Yoon stressed in an interview. As a leader of an expanding, influential institution, Yoon has undertaken the important assignment of empowering Yonseians and pushing the school forward. Through ambitious pledges and a strong commitment to “Yonseiness,” Yoon has continuously expressed aspirations for making Yonsei a leading university. With the commencement of his presidency, all Yonseians eagerly await a brighter future defined by the academic brilliance and global impact that Yonsei has always upheld.

[1] Yoon Dong-sup’s development plan

[2] The Monthly Chosun

[3] Yonsei University