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

Stanford University is set to close its research center in Korea following five years of operation, according to officials at the institution. The decision to shutter the Stanford Center at the Incheon Global Campus (IGC) is attributed to financial and operational challenges, as well as anticipated cuts in research funding from the U.S. government, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Julie Greicius, associate dean for communications and alumni affairs at Stanford Engineering, confirmed the closure via email to The Korea Times. She noted that the center began its operations in June 2021 during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the challenges it faced reflect the broader difficulties encountered by academic institutions worldwide during the crisis.

Despite the center's decision to cease all research activities this year, Stanford maintains its commitment to tackling critical issues such as urban sustainability and clean-energy solutions in urban settings. The university expects its relationship with Korea to persist through ongoing collaborations, although the specific operations of the IGC will conclude at the end of this year.