[COVER STORY] Stanford to close Korea research center after 5 years

Stanford University will cease its Korea research center after five years due to financial and operational challenges, officials have announced. The U.S. government's anticipated reductions in research funding for universities are believed to be a significant contributor, according to relevant public organization officials. The Stanford Center at Incheon Global Campus (IGC) will cease all research operations this year before beginning its winding down process, Julie Greicius, Stanford Engineering's associate dean for communications and alumni affairs, informed The Korea Times in a recent email.

"Since its opening in June 2021 amid the COVID pandemic peak, the program has experienced financial and operational difficulties," Greicius explained. Despite this decision, she emphasized that Stanford remains committed to tackling research issues like urban sustainability and clean-energy challenges in urban settings and anticipates continuing its broader relationship with Korea through other collaborations.

The center opened in June 2021 in Songdo, within the IGC, where four foreign universities and three research centers had previously been active.