KOREA UNIVERSITY School of Biosystem and Biomedical Science

The development of modern medicine has benefited greatly from the increased understanding of the human body, advancements in medical techniques, and the range of diagnostic and treatment equipment that has been developed in tandem. Imaging technology for cells or smaller entities, MRI and CT scans and Sonograms of the whole body, artificial organs and tissue generation, and various bio-analysis technologies are modern breakthroughs that have significantly contributed to extending human life expectancy and enhancing the quality of life. Biomedical Engineering is the field in which these technologies are developed in order to benefit humankind.

If you research the advanced countries’ best colleges, and you will find that there are hardly any that do not have Biomedical Engineering schools. And generally, the research carried out by faculty at these departments is of the highest quality, and the entrance scores of Biomedical Engineering students are among the highest within these colleges. Furthermore, the majority of these departments are new, established post-2000. This has transpired because no one disputes that in most advanced countries, biomedical engineering is a major next-generation growth field. In other words, the establishment of these departments is an indicator of where potentially-infinite discoveries will be made.

Korea University School of Biomedical Engineering was established in 2014 with the purpose of joining in the vision of these global leaders, and of setting off on the same path of discovery. Considering the various domestic restrictions that obtained, at a time when most colleges could not establish a School of Biomedical Engineering even if they wanted to, many people said that Korea University's establishment of a School of Biomedical Engineering was an enormous step to take. In this context, the expectations that accompanied this departure were immense.

We are confident that we are meeting this challenge and that graduates of the program can expect a bright future. So, what career paths will unfold upon graduating from the School of Biomedical Engineering? The options are similar to those available to other engineering students graduating from Korea University. Graduates can take the path of becoming expert researchers by taking positions in colleges, National Research Institutes, and corporate research institutes, or they can seek employment in large corporations and specialist companies, in this way demonstrating their leadership skills. Besides these avenues there are various other, more specialized options such as entering graduate school, establishing businesses, entering the financial world, or becoming patent attorneys. Recently, various media outlets have been heavily covering the news that large conglomerates such as Samsung, LG and SK are making large investments in the medical equipment market. This demonstrates that the field is expanding so rapidly that it is seen as one where it is very advantageous to start up a business.

The domestic biomedical engineering field remains underdeveloped, unbefitting a country that joined the ranks of developed countries at unprecedented speed. Korea University School of Biomedical Engineering will strive to be the driving force in raising Korea’s biomedical engineering industry to a level that rivals the world’s best. Although it is a challenging task we will forge ahead with commitment. I would like to ask for your support in bringing this goal to fruition.