Shinshu University Visits Sungkyunkwan University, Korea
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Handshake between the two presidents (from right: President Yoo and President Nakamura)
On 5 December 2025, a delegation from Shinshu University led by President Soichiro Nakamura and Vice President Icksoo Kim visited Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) in the Republic of Korea.
Founded in the 14th century, SKKU is one of Korea’s oldest and most prestigious universities, operating two campuses: the Humanities and Social Sciences Campus in Seoul and the Natural Sciences Campus in Suwon. With 18 faculties, SKKU is consistently ranked among the top private universities in Korea in the sciences and was placed 87th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
Shinshu University and SKKU signed an inter-university Memorandum of Understanding in November 2024, following a courtesy visit to Shinshu University by the SKKU presidential delegation. The present visit was conducted in return.
During the meeting, President Nakamura introduced the Institute for Aqua Regeneration, established under Japan’s MEXT J-PEAKS program, and outlined Shinshu University’s research initiatives focused on water regeneration in response to global water challenges. SKKU President Yoo Ji-Beom expressed strong interest, and the two sides exchanged views on potential collaboration in the field of water regeneration. Vice President Kim proposed the establishment of a joint center at SKKU, and both universities agreed to pursue joint research projects based on this framework.
The delegation also toured Myeongnyundang, a historic building preserved as the origin of SKKU. Once used as the main lecture hall of the highest educational institution during the Joseon Dynasty, the site reflects the university’s long-standing tradition of open education. The visit concluded with a moment of reflection beneath a 500-year-old ginkgo tree on campus, a symbol of Confucian heritage.
This visit marked an important step toward strengthening collaboration with SKKU, a university that combines deep tradition with innovation, and is expected to further advance Shinshu University’s research in water regeneration.
J-PEAKS: “Program for Promoting Research Universities as Regional Centers of Excellence and with Distinctive Characteristics”, MEXT Japan
Engaging discussion between the two universities
The delegation toured the campus from modern lecture facilities to the historic Myeongnyundang Hall.
