Florida State University welcomed the president of Kyungpook National University and several other KNU administrators on-campus last month to discuss areas of collaboration while signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two universities.
“This partnership with Kyungpook National University represents an exciting step forward in FSU’s commitment to global engagement,” said Stephen McDowell, FSU’s assistant provost for International Initiatives and interim dean of The Graduate School. “By working together, we can create new opportunities for our students and faculty to collaborate across cultures, advance impactful research and foster meaningful connections that benefit both our universities and the broader international community.”
“By working together, we can create new opportunities for our students and faculty to collaborate across cultures, advance impactful research and foster meaningful connections that benefit both our universities and the broader international community,”
—Stephen McDowell, FSU’s assistant provost for International Initiatives and interim dean of The Graduate School
Located in Daegu, South Korea, KNU is one of the nation’s flagship universities and the largest national university. It is ranked No. 3 worldwide in the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, which assesses 2,526 universities from 130 countries or territories based on their progress toward the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
KNU President Young-Woo Heo visited FSU’s Tallahassee campus along with several other delegates from KNU, including Jinseok Bae, dean of External Cooperation; An-Su Lee, dean of Student Affairs; and Hunwoo Lee, Office of International Cooperation.
Jaejin Lee, a professor in the College of Communication and Information who earned her bachelor’s degree from KNU in 2003, helped facilitate the visit. Jongwook Lee, an associate professor at KNU who graduated from FSU’s College of Communication and Information in 2016 and is currently on sabbatical at FSU, also joined the delegation.
During their visit, the delegation met with FSU President Richard McCullough and Provost James Clark to discuss shared goals and envision new opportunities for international collaborations and global research between the two universities.
“One of the most exciting aspects of our partnership with Kyungpook National University is the opportunity to pursue joint research initiatives,” McDowell said. “By bringing together the expertise and perspectives of faculty and students from both institutions, we can tackle complex global challenges and generate innovative solutions that have a far-reaching impact.”
The delegation also toured the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, where they met with Dean Suvranu De and Richard Liang, director of the High Performance Materials Institute, and Sastri Pamidi, associate director of the Center for Advanced Power Systems, to discuss areas of mutual interest.
To conclude the visit, the KNU delegates joined representatives from FSU for a roundtable discussion, “Advancing Academic Collaboration and Global Engagement: A Roundtable with the President of Kyungpook National University of South Korea.” The discussion focused on ways in which FSU and KNU can support each other through research, cultural exchange, and other academic endeavors.
“It was truly meaningful to help bring together two universities that have shaped my academic journey,” Jaejin Lee said. “This partnership will open doors for students and faculty at both FSU and KNU to learn from each other, share perspectives and build lasting connections through research and cultural exchange.”
For more information about international agreements at FSU, visit global.fsu.edu. To learn more about KNU, visit en.knu.ac.kr.
