NCCU President Tsai-Yen Li Receives Sungkyunkwan University’s 100th Honorary Doctorate
Date :
2025-10-28
Department :
Office of International Cooperation (OIC)
【Article by Office of International Cooperation】
As autumn’s golden ginkgo leaves blanket Seoul, National Chengchi University (NCCU) President Tsai-Yen Li was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Education by Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) in South Korea, marking a historic milestone as the 100th honorary doctorate conferred since SKKU’s founding. This distinction honors President Li’s outstanding contributions to educational innovation and international cooperation. It also symbolizes the deep friendship and shared vision between NCCU and SKKU, two institutions that have maintained a close partnership for more than six decades.
During the conferral ceremony, President Li reflected on the evolving role of universities in the age of artificial intelligence. He emphasized that while higher education faces continuous transformation, its core mission remains steadfast: “The mission to cultivate talent for the nation and society remains unchanged; the spirit of upholding freedom of speech and fostering a knowledgeable and conscious society has not changed; and the conviction to pursue truth and innovation in knowledge has never wavered.”
SKKU President Yoo Ji-Beom (유지범) commended President Li’s leadership in advancing digital education and praised his forward-looking vision of “Digital Empowerment.” President Yoo noted that this approach integrates NCCU’s strong foundations in the humanities and social sciences with cutting-edge technology education, guiding the university toward new milestones in digital transformation.
Founded in 1398, SKKU is Korea’s oldest university and upholds the Confucian philosophy of “cultivating oneself and governing others” while embracing modern technological advancement. Ranked 126th in the 2026 QS World University Rankings, SKKU is recognized for its academic strengths in business, informatics, semiconductors, information and communications engineering, and biomedical sciences. Supported by major funding from the Samsung Group, SKKU continues to excel as a leading private university with strong ties to industry.
NCCU and SKKU share a longstanding partnership dating back to 1964, when the two universities became each other’s first international academic partners. Over the years, they have actively promoted faculty and student exchanges, dual-degree programs, short-term courses, joint research, and academic conferences. Historical records show that as early as 1962, National Central Library Director General Chiang Fu-Tsung (蔣復璁) and NCCU President Liu Chi-Hung (劉季洪) visited SKKU and received honorary degrees. In 1975, NCCU President Lee Yuan-Tsu visited SKKU, an event that helped establish the honorary degree conferral tradition—a practice that continues to this day as a symbol of the enduring partnership between the two universities.
This honorary degree ceremony marks a new milestone in the long-standing relationship between NCCU and SKKU, serving as an opportunity for both sides to advance collaboration in public governance, business, social sciences, humanities, and education. Looking ahead, the two universities will continue to deepen academic exchanges and strengthen their partnership for years to come.
[NCCU News Reporter: Jian-cheng Wang, Translator: Chelsea Anglin]
As autumn’s golden ginkgo leaves blanket Seoul, National Chengchi University (NCCU) President Tsai-Yen Li was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Education by Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) in South Korea, marking a historic milestone as the 100th honorary doctorate conferred since SKKU’s founding. This distinction honors President Li’s outstanding contributions to educational innovation and international cooperation. It also symbolizes the deep friendship and shared vision between NCCU and SKKU, two institutions that have maintained a close partnership for more than six decades.
During the conferral ceremony, President Li reflected on the evolving role of universities in the age of artificial intelligence. He emphasized that while higher education faces continuous transformation, its core mission remains steadfast: “The mission to cultivate talent for the nation and society remains unchanged; the spirit of upholding freedom of speech and fostering a knowledgeable and conscious society has not changed; and the conviction to pursue truth and innovation in knowledge has never wavered.”
SKKU President Yoo Ji-Beom (유지범) commended President Li’s leadership in advancing digital education and praised his forward-looking vision of “Digital Empowerment.” President Yoo noted that this approach integrates NCCU’s strong foundations in the humanities and social sciences with cutting-edge technology education, guiding the university toward new milestones in digital transformation.
Founded in 1398, SKKU is Korea’s oldest university and upholds the Confucian philosophy of “cultivating oneself and governing others” while embracing modern technological advancement. Ranked 126th in the 2026 QS World University Rankings, SKKU is recognized for its academic strengths in business, informatics, semiconductors, information and communications engineering, and biomedical sciences. Supported by major funding from the Samsung Group, SKKU continues to excel as a leading private university with strong ties to industry.
NCCU and SKKU share a longstanding partnership dating back to 1964, when the two universities became each other’s first international academic partners. Over the years, they have actively promoted faculty and student exchanges, dual-degree programs, short-term courses, joint research, and academic conferences. Historical records show that as early as 1962, National Central Library Director General Chiang Fu-Tsung (蔣復璁) and NCCU President Liu Chi-Hung (劉季洪) visited SKKU and received honorary degrees. In 1975, NCCU President Lee Yuan-Tsu visited SKKU, an event that helped establish the honorary degree conferral tradition—a practice that continues to this day as a symbol of the enduring partnership between the two universities.
This honorary degree ceremony marks a new milestone in the long-standing relationship between NCCU and SKKU, serving as an opportunity for both sides to advance collaboration in public governance, business, social sciences, humanities, and education. Looking ahead, the two universities will continue to deepen academic exchanges and strengthen their partnership for years to come.
[NCCU News Reporter: Jian-cheng Wang, Translator: Chelsea Anglin]