Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) ranked 14th overall in the 2025 JoongAng Ilbo University Evaluation. In the ‘Growth Evaluation’ – which calculates rankings by indexing changes in indicator rankings over the past decade, introduced this year – it ranked second nationally and first among Seoul-based universities. This reflects the university's remarkable growth over the past decade, spearheaded by education and research, with its outstanding achievements now quantified through measurable indicators.

This JoongAng Ilbo University Evaluation, conducted across the same four categories as last year – ▲Faculty Research ▲Educational Environment ▲Student Education and Outcomes ▲Reputation. Kookmin University ranked 14th overall this year, continuing an upward trajectory since 2017 (19th), followed by 2018 (18th), 2019 (16th), and 2024 (13th).

Examining the categories individually, Kookmin University saw a slight improvement in the Student Education and Outcomes category (16th → 15th) compared to the previous year. The most notable area was the number of international journal papers per professor in the Education and Research category. This serves as an indicator for assessing sustainable competitiveness on the international stage, and Kookmin University received a favourable evaluation, rising significantly from 24th place last year to 13th this year. Industry-academic collaboration revenue per science and technology professor also remains one of Kookmin University's traditional strengths, securing second place nationally for the second consecutive year. The university has identified eight specialised fields as its primary future growth engines: “Design & Content”, “Mobility”, “Quantum”, “AI+X”, “Robotics”, “Advanced Materials & Semiconductors”, “Water, Energy & Environment”, and “Bio”. Kookmin University is achieving significant research results, with government project awards in AI and bio alone reaching 134.4 billion won this year (2025).

Furthermore, in October, amidst an intensifying higher education environment, Kookmin University proclaimed its ‘KMU VISION 2035: EDGE’ vision, embodying its determination to secure a differentiated competitive edge. The plan involves utilising diverse incentive schemes to enhance the quality of faculty research and stimulate research motivation, thereby recruiting highly competitive faculty members. A systematic internal support system will also be established to promote these achievements globally.

In the educational conditions category, overall scholarship-related indicators continue to improve, including scholarships relative to tuition fees and scholarships per student (13th → 11th). Kookmin University has established diverse scholarship systems, encompassing not only national scholarships but also internal and external scholarships, as well as tailored scholarships suited to individual students' circumstances. Its fair and transparent operational approach has led to its selection as an outstanding university in scholarship audits by the Korea Student Aid Foundation and scholarship guidance by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.

In the student education and outcomes category, rankings for various indicators related to entrepreneurship saw a slight improvement, including the dropout rate (14th → 12th) and the amount of start-up support provided (8th → 7th). Notably, the university's ranking in the graduate social influence category, directly linked to its branding image, rose by ten places compared to last year. This indicator, alongside reputation metrics, gauges how graduates' post-graduation achievements create a virtuous cycle in attracting outstanding students. Kookmin University maintains consistently stable reputation ratings, ranking 12th as a preferred university for corporate new graduate recruitment, alongside 12th for high school students and 13th for parents.

Regarding this JoongAng Ilbo university evaluation, President Jeong Seung Ryul of Kookmin University stated, “As we approach our 80th anniversary next year, our university has newly established the vision ‘A university setting the standard for higher education’ and the slogan ‘Make the Rule, Break the Rule’.” He expressed his aspirations, stating, “In line with the meaning embodied in this vision and slogan, we will not rest on this year's evaluation results. We will proactively improve various conditions to build the long-term potential to compete with overseas universities, not just domestically, across all fields of education, research, and global engagement.”