About KUME
History
The School was established in December 1964 within the College of Science and Engineering. Initially, the objective of the School was to cultivate proficient and esteemed engineers while also fostering the advancement of innovative and pragmatic engineering technologies. The School took full advantage of these goals to successfully achieve strong teacher–student collaboration and create a positive learning environment. The College of Science and Engineering reorganized into the College of Science and the College of Engineering in December 1977. From 1979 to 1983, five professors—Samhong Song, Youngdon Choi, Hyowhan Chang, Hoyoung Kim, and Jinmoo Park—were appointed in sequence, opening labs for fracture mechanics, heat transfer, automatic control, combustion engineering, and machine dynamics, respectively. This, in turn, encouraged the School to add a new goal: to promote quality in graduate education to cultivate fundamental skills necessary for sustainable academic exploration and the specialization of base and essential technologies.
In line with government policies aimed at increasing the number of skilled mechanical engineers, the School’s quota was increased to 130 in 1992, and a mechanical design lab and a computer lab were opened. Additionally, the School was invited by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy to offer a training program designed to nurture next-generation engineers specializing in mechanical design technology, laying the foundation for fostering engineers with exceptional design skills.
The School relocated into the Innovation Building in September 2003 and began recruiting students under the sub-divisions of Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Systems in the same year. In the 2004 Mechanical Engineering Academic Evaluation, both undergraduate and graduate programs ranked first in the nation. In 2012, the School entered the world’s top 100 in QS Mechanical Engineering and moved up to the top 50 in 2018.
Currently, 700 undergraduate students and 300 graduate students are pursuing their dreams under the guidance of 29 faculty members. Notably, the School has produced approximately 6,000 alumni over the past 60 years who are showcasing their competencies in various fields, including the machine industry.
- The School was selected for the 4th BK21 project
- A Research Center for Plus Energy Building Innovative Technology was opened
- Professor Jintaek Chung was inaugurated as the 20th president of Korea University
- The School ranked first in the nation in the BK21 Plus Performance Evaluation for Mechanical Engineering
- The School ranked 47th in the QS World University Rankings for Mechanical Engineering
- A Nano-Biofluignostic Research Center was opened
- The Korea University New Engineering Hall was completed
- The School hosted its 50th anniversary ceremony
- The KU–KIST Convergence Graduate School was launched
- The School’s sorority hosted its first event, “Dignity of Female Engineers.”
- A Master’s Program in Contract Management was established in collaboration with the Hyundai Motor Group
- The School was selected as a BK21 Plus mechanical project team
- Professor Kyujeong Lee passed away in the line of duty
- The School ranked the world’s 94th for Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Mechanical Engineering
- Students were recruited from the School of Mechanical Engineering
- A Human-Centered Product Innovation Center was opened
- The Department of Mechanical Engineering was expanded and reorganized into the School of Mechanical Engineering
- The first issue of the department’s newsletter was published
- The PACE Center was opened
- The department was selected as the 2nd BK21 mechanical project team
- The department held its 40th anniversary ceremony
- The department ranked first in the nation’s 2004 Undergraduate/Graduate Academic Evaluation for Mechanical Engineering
- The department office moved into the Innovation Building
- Students were recruited under the sub-divisions of Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Systems
- Students were recruited under the “1+3 system” of the College of Engineering
- The first Department of Mechanical Engineering festival was held
- Students were recruited under the “1.5+2.5” system of the College of Engineering
- With the support of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, a training program designed to nurture next-generation engineers specializing in mechanical design technology was offered
- The Next-generation Mechanical Design Technology Research Center was established
- The department celebrated its 30th anniversary
- The University Evaluation and Accreditation Committee recognized Korea University as an excellent school
- The department’s admission quota was increased to 150
- The department’s admission quota was increased to 130
- An academy–research collaboration program for graduate students was offered
- A department’s soccer club, “Kiwoo,” was organized
- New students were recruited under the Department of Mechanical Engineering
- New students were recruited under the division of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering
- New students were recruited under the division of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
- The inaugural general meeting of the department’s alumni association was held
- The College of Science and Engineering was reorganized into the College of Science and the College of Engineering
- The department’s admission quota was increased to 80
- New students were recruited under the College of Engineering, regardless of department
- The Mechanical Engineering Building was expanded, and the Mechanical Design Center was completed
- The Hydraulic Engineering Building was completed along with the opening of the Fluid Dynamics Lab and Fluid Machinery Lab
- Graduate courses in mechanical engineering were offered
- The Mechanical Engineering Building was completed along with the opening of the Internal Combustion Engine Lab and Machine Tool Lab
- Professor Byungchel Yoo was selected as the first department head
- The College of Science and Engineering established the Department of Mechanical Engineering within the School of Engineering, with a student quota of 50
