Overview of International Office

What We Do

With increasing demand for collaboration from KAIST’s overseas counterparts, the International Office of KAIST strives to build new ties and strengthen existing relations with our partners around the world. It is to facilitate exchanges of faculty and students which eventually leads to exchange of ideas and innovations along with them that would change the world.

Also, the International Office encourage our students to use these solid and friendly relationship with key strategic partners in various places in the world to their advantage by joining the collaborative mobility programs such as the bilateral student exchange programs and/or various events/forums held by our partner institutions or consortiums.

Organization

Teams at Work

There are four units under the umbrella of the International Office: The Center for Overseas Development, International Relations Team, International Scholar and Student Services, and KAIST International Community Enhancement Program.

The Center for Overseas Development oversees systematic coordination of consultation, business operation and planning for various collaborative projects for countries in need of Official Development Assistance (ODA). The Center was established in October, 2015, to meet the growing demand for cooperation for overseas development from home and abroad. The Center is currently working closely with KOICA on projects involving development of countries such as the Dominican Republic and is also working with academic and research units of Ethiopia in forms of providing consultations on establishing higher education institutions modeled after KAIST.

The International Relations Team (IRT) is in charge of developing and maintaining international institutional network by identifying and working with partner institutions and through participation at multi-national consortium or campaigns to represent KAIST. It also organizes institutional visits and collaborative programs with partner universities. In collaboration with the partners around the world, IRT runs the student mobility programs including the bilateral student exchange programs and short-term non-degree programs like KAIST International Summer School (KISS), research internships and January-Term program.

Since 2008, IRT also have organized and hosted the International Presidential Forum on Global Research Universities which brings together the presidents of leading universities and key policy-makers in the private and public sectors across the world to share their expertise, insights, and best practices relevant to addressing the current issues of the time.

International Scholars and Student Services (ISSS) is the hub of information and support for the KAIST international community. All international members –faculty, researchers, students, as well as their families in Korea – benefit from the wide array of services and programs ISSS provides. From initial settling to immigration matters, housing and more, ISSS serves as a trustworthy guide for all international scholars and students. By helping international scholars and students to successfully adapt to KAIST,

The work of ISSS does not end at administrative services. Colorful events and programs are organized on a regular basis to enrich life on the KAIST campus. Culture classes, food & sport festivals, temple stays, the International Scholar’s Social Gathering, and the Year-End Party are just a few of what ISSS has to offer. Not only do these programs offer enjoyable new experiences, but they also provide opportunities for KAIST international scholars and students to network with the wider KAIST and Daejeon community.

The KAIST International Community Enhancement Program (KICEP) seeks to improve and strengthen KAIST's globalization by increasing international faculty members' participation in the establishment of policies, especially those that are relevant to the international community. KICEP also seeks to strengthen a sense of community and to reflect the ideas and opinions of international faculty members in administrative decision-making processes. The role of KICEP director is to be held by a full-time international faculty member to better represent the needs and voices of the international members of KAIST community.