The Institute of Urban Sciences, since its establishment in 1998, has been recognized as a leading institute for urban sciences in Korea. Urban Sciences are inter-disciplinary and practical studies to understand various urban phenomena and solve urban problems. They are based on pure theories of social and natural Sciences, but at the same time, are oriented towards practical approaches for problem-solving.
In addition to the urban research, the Institute of Urban Sciences publishes “the International Journal of Urban Sciences (IJUS)” which is the only inter-disciplinary journal for urban sciences in Korea. The journal is now distributed to more than 1000 libraries and research institutes all around the world. In 2009, the Institute was nominated as the ‘Advanced Research Center’ by the Korean Research Foundation in the area of urban convergences.
The institute has enhanced its research capacity through international collaboration. It biennially holds “the Seoul Metropolitan Fora (SMF)” to share and exchange ideas and experiences among scholars and professionals in the world. The “Seoul-Tokyo Joint Seminar” with Tokyo Metropolitan University is another example of the institute’s international collaboration. The seminar is mainly oriented towards increasing quality of life in metropolitan areas.
The Institute of Urban Science will endeavor to continually provide applicable policy directions to combine humanism, historical narratives, environmental-friendliness, and technology. In so doing, it will carry out its role as a think tank of Seoul Metropolitan Government. Thank you for your support and encouragement.
Kang Su Kim, Director, Institute of Urban Sciences