Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology

The Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) is a public research university and institute of technology that was established in 1993 by a legislative act of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea with its primary purpose to advance national science and technology through education, research, and international and industrial cooperation. Located in Gwangju, South Korea, GIST is recognized for its high research impact, consistently ranking among the top five globally in the "Citations per Faculty" category of the QS World University Rankings for nearly two decades. Following its 30th anniversary in 2023, the institute launched the "Vision 2053" initiative, which aims to position GIST as a top 50 global university by 2053 with a specialized focus on artificial intelligence and robotics. To facilitate the commercialization of its research, the institute established GIST Holdings in late 2023, a dedicated investment and technology transfer wing designed to foster a "Deep-tech" startup ecosystem in the Gwangju region. STAR-MOOC and International Enrollment GIST is a founding member of STAR-MOOC (Science & Technology Advanced Research Massive Open Online Course), a collaborative online educational platform launched in 2018. The initiative is a joint effort between South Korea's primary science and technology universities, including KAIST, GIST, DGIST, UNIST, POSTECH, and the UST. As a member of this group, GIST is designated under the South Korean Ministry of Justice's K-STAR Visa Track (F-2-7S). This program provides a fast-track residency pathway for international students who obtain a master's or doctoral degree at GIST. Eligible graduates may receive a residence visa (F-2) via a recommendation from the university president, bypassing certain general employment requirements, and are eligible to apply for permanent residency (F-5) after three years. History Establishment and early years (1993–2000) The Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) was established by the South Korean government on August 5, 1993, following the enactment of the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology Act."Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology Act". Korea Legislation Research Institute. Retrieved 26 March 2026. Founded as a research-oriented graduate school, its primary mission was to foster highly skilled scientists and create a strong research and development (R&D) base for advanced technology in Korea. On October 11, 1993, Dr. Doo-Bong Ha was inaugurated as the university's first president. The institute conferred its first master's degrees on February 27, 1997, and its first doctoral degrees on February 20, 2000. Expansion and rebranding (2001–2009) In 2001, GIST became the first university in South Korea to introduce a "thesis quality certification program," which mandated that doctoral candidates publish in high-impact journals before graduation. On March 26, 2004, the university officially changed its English acronym from KJIST (Kwangju Institute of Science and Technology) to GIST, following the revised Romanization of the city's name from Kwangju to Gwangju. In May 2008, an amendment to the GIST Act was passed by the National Assembly, authorizing the establishment of an undergraduate program to create a continuous science education track from bachelor's to doctoral levels."History of GIST". Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology. Retrieved 26 March 2026. Undergraduate education and global recognition (2010–2018) GIST College, the university's undergraduate school, admitted its first class of 100 students in March 2010. The college implemented a liberal arts-based science curriculum, a first for technical institutes in South Korea. The first bachelor's degrees were conferred on February 25, 2014."GIST holds 2024 Commencement Ceremony". NewsWorker. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2026. During this period, GIST achieved international prominence for research impact. Between 2013 and 2018, the university consistently ranked in the top 10 globally for "Citations per Faculty" in the QS World University Rankings."QS World University Rankings: Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology". Quacquarelli Symonds. Retrieved 26 March 2026. AI specialization and Vision 2053 (2019–present) In October 2019, GIST established its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Graduate School as part of a national strategy to lead in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In July 2023, Dr. Kichul Lim was inaugurated as the 9th President of GIST. To commemorate its 30th anniversary in November 2023, GIST held a vision declaration ceremony titled "GIST Vision 2053." The initiative set a goal for the institute to become a top 50 global university by 2053 by nurturing 30 world-class scholars and fostering 30 "unicorn-level" tech companies.Kim, S. (16 November 2023). "30 Years of Strength to 30 Years of Future: GIST Holds 30th Anniversary and Vision Declaration Ceremony". Electronic Times (ETNews) (in Korean). Retrieved 26 March 2026. In January 2024, the university launched GIST Holdings to accelerate the commercialization of campus technologies and support regional economic development.Lee, J. (18 January 2024). "GIST establishes GIST Holdings to produce 30 unicorn companies". Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). Retrieved 26 March 2026. Rankings In the 2016/2017 QS World University Rankings® Result tables, GIST was ranked number 2 in the world in the category of citations per faculty. In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2014–2015, GIST was ranked 96th in the world in the category of Engineering & Technology. Special Rankings Timeline Departments GIST Undergraduate Programs Freshman year: School of Humanities and Social Sciences – “Challenge & Exploration Program” (no major declared, liberal arts and sciences foundation year). Sophomore–senior years: undergraduate departments (majors) College of Information & Computing Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science – B.S. in Engineering Department of AI Convergence – B.S. in Engineering Department of Semiconductor Engineering – B.S. in Engineering (contract-based; undergraduate admission open to Korean nationals only) College of Natural Sciences Department of Physics and Photon Science – B.S. in Science Department of Chemistry – B.S. in Science Department of Mathematical Sciences – B.S. in Science College of Engineering Department of Materials Science and Engineering – B.S. in Engineering Department of Mechanical and Robotics Engineering – B.S. in Engineering Department of Environment and Energy Engineering – B.S. in Engineering College of Life Sciences & Medical Engineering Department of Life Sciences – B.S. in Science Department of Biomedical Science and Engineering – B.S. in Engineering (under preparation; not yet open for major declaration) GIST Graduate Programs (master’s, doctoral, and integrated) College of Information & Computing – Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Department of AI Convergence; Department of Semiconductor Engineering (each offers M.S., Ph.D., and integrated M.S./Ph.D. in Engineering). College of Natural Sciences – Department of Physics and Photon Science; Department of Chemistry; Department of Mathematical Sciences (each offers M.S., Ph.D., and integrated M.S./Ph.D. in Science). College of Engineering – Department of Materials Science and Engineering; Department of Mechanical and Robotics Engineering; Department of Environment and Energy Engineering (each offers M.S., Ph.D., and integrated M.S./Ph.D. in Engineering). College of Life Sciences & Medical Engineering – Department of Life Sciences; Department of Biomedical Science and Engineering; Department of Integrative Neuroscience & Physiology (each offers M.S., Ph.D., and integrated M.S./Ph.D. in Science and/or Engineering, depending on the program). Institute of Integrated Technology – Graduate School of Management of Technology (M.S. in Management of Technology only; Ph.D. program under preparation, no integrated M.S./Ph.D. admission). See also List of national universities in South Korea List of universities and colleges in South Korea Education in Korea References External links Graduate Official Website (in English) Undergraduate Official Website, in Korean and English Archived 29 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine