Establishment Background and Purpose
- As demand for overseas urban development—particularly investment-development projects—continues to grow, this research center was established as a specialized institute for international urban and infrastructure development, with the aim of supporting domestic companies in entering overseas markets.
- To improve the quality of urban life globally, the center theoretically and empirically analyzes the problems facing cities in Korea and around the world, and proposes rational policy alternatives to address them. To this end, the primary purpose of the center is to promote domestic and international urban development through research and technology transfer activities related to urban and infrastructure development and associated policies.
- In carrying out its primary purpose, the center actively pursues research, seminars, workshops, publication of research outcomes, and education for domestic and international public officials and experts in urban affairs. It also plans and conducts industry-academia collaborative research projects, sharing its research outcomes both internally and externally to contribute to building an international network for urban development.
Organization
- Considering the particularities of its early stage, the center was established as a research center under the existing "Institute of Urban Science" at the University of Seoul, with the aim of eventually growing into an independent research institute based on its accumulated achievements.
- An Operations Steering Committee is in place to set the overall direction of the center's activities and to guide matters related to its operation. The committee is composed of the dean and faculty of the International School of Urban Sciences (ISUS) and the director of the center.
- A director is appointed to take charge of the day-to-day operations of the center. The director is recommended and appointed by the dean of ISUS in accordance with the relevant regulations of the Institute of Urban Science.
- To fulfill its purpose, the center maintains a Research Planning Division and an Education Division, and may establish additional research departments or teams as needed. It may also appoint research fellows, visiting research fellows, principal researchers, and researchers to carry out specific research activities.