Dean Park shares his vision for Mason Korea

Nearly 20 journalists from national and local media outlets came to the Mason Korea campus in Songdo to hear George Mason University’s newest dean, Joshua Park, talk about his vision for the international campus.

“Over the past decade, Mason Korea has expanded more than thirtyfold—from 34 students to 1,000—serving as a bridge between the U.S. and Korea,” said Park, who joined Mason Korea in July. “We will create a global educational hub where outstanding talents can study and conduct research together.”

Park’s vision for the next five years centers around four strategic goals: producing global talent, driving academic innovation, internationalizing Incheon, and strengthening industry partnerships. He aims to increase the international student body and expand partnerships with leading Asian universities to cultivate globally minded graduates.

“We will provide opportunities for exceptional students from regions like China, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia to study here, with top talents supported by scholarship funding,” he said.

Among the new initiatives Park announced are the establishment of an Honors College and the launch of the Korea Serious Game Institute in November.

Park also highlighted plans to promote academic innovation in such fields as artificial intelligence, digital entertainment, and robotics, while collaborating with George Mason’s research institutes in areas such as biohealth and cybersecurity. This will allow Mason Korea to boost both research initiatives and industry–academic partnerships.

 To support Incheon’s internationalization, Park emphasized his dedication to expanding international exchange opportunities for local youth, lifelong learning programs for citizens, and creating pathways for domestic companies to enter the U.S. market.

 “In 10 years, we aim to be recognized as an institution that positively impacts the development of Incheon and South Korea, and we will work tirelessly toward this goal,” Park said.