Sogang Launches Institute for Sustainable Management

Sogang University held the official inauguration ceremony of the Institute for Sustainable Management Innovation on 28th at the Matthew Hall campus venue, marking the beginning of its full-scale operations. Established under the Sogang Business School, the institute serves as a new research hub dedicated to generating and disseminating innovative knowledge in management.

A distinctive feature of the institute is its platform-based structure. Unlike traditional research institutes that focus primarily on academic output, this institute functions as an incubator supporting doctoral-level scholars who seek to create and expand innovative management knowledge. It is primarily led by graduates and current candidates of Sogang’s Executive Ph.D. (E-Ph.D.) in Management programme, the first practice-oriented doctoral programme of its kind introduced in Korea. The institute aims to foster collaboration among academically trained practitioners and research-oriented professionals.

The institute is organised into three divisions: Education, Research, and Advisory. The Education Division introduces several differentiated programmes. In collaboration with Southern Connecticut State University in the United States, which holds STEM accreditation, the institute offers a Post-Doctoral certification programme that provides joint certification from both Korean and U.S. institutions. In response to the increasing demand for gender diversity in corporate governance, the institute has also developed a specialised programme to prepare female independent (outside) directors. Participants may be recommended to corporate boards through an affiliated nomination committee. Furthermore, the “Sogang Venture Academy” provides lifecycle-based coaching for venture entrepreneurs, supporting business development from early-stage start-up to IPO preparation. This model is designed on the premise that the E-Ph.D. network includes key actors across the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The Research Division supports doctoral-level researchers through various mechanisms, including research professorships and the establishment of dedicated research centres depending on project scale. Current thematic areas include AI-driven manufacturing innovation, sustainability diagnostic tools for platform enterprises, and AI-based healthcare and elderly-care business development. These projects seek to address emerging societal challenges through sustainable and innovation-oriented business solutions.

The Advisory Division offers management consulting and potential investment opportunities for domestic firms, drawing upon high-performing scholars within the E-Ph.D. programme. The institute plans to expand its advisory scope in collaboration with the forthcoming Sogang–Pangyo Digital Innovation Campus, thereby enhancing its societal contribution.

Coinciding with its launch, the institute also released Sogang University’s sustainability report. Notably, the report was produced through a student-led process, with undergraduate students independently conducting data collection, interviews, report writing, and design. ESG specialists have noted that the student-driven approach strengthens the authenticity and distinctiveness of the report, marking a meaningful development in university sustainability reporting practices. The full Korean version of the report is available online. (Read the Full Report)