Entrepreneur Academy to foster Jobs’ spirit

Junn Sung-chull IGM chairman

The Institute of Global Management (IGM) launched IGM Entrepreneur Academy (IEA) Monday to try and nurture innovative corporate leaders like Steve Jobs.

It is the first school which offers programs for those who want to establish their own business with systematized curriculums and skilled professors including successful CEOs of major conglomerates.

All students will be awarded scholarships and some of them will receive funding worth up to 500 million won to run their own business upon graduation.

“We’ve decided to set up the academy as an effort to make a more direct contribution to our society in celebration of the 10th anniversary of IGM,” copmany CEO Junn Sung-chull said. “Through IEA, they will learn about entrepreneurship and we will also provide them with the upmost support for them to become skilled leaders in business.”

Successful entrepreneurs and businessmen will also share their experience with students of the academy. They include Lock & Lock Chairman and CEO Kim Joon-il, Doosan Group Chairman Park Yong-maan and SoftBank Ventures CEO and President Greg Moon.

Song Ja, a former president of Yonsei University, will serve as the first IEA president with Dongwon Group Chairman Kim Jae-chul and Chairman of KAIST’s Board of Directors Oh Myung joining the academy as an advisor.

“Through IEA, we will nurture CEOs with a respectable vision for society and the economy,” Song said. “We expect that students can learn the insight and ability to solve problems necessary to run their own businesses with the help of excellent professors who are legendary entrepreneurs and investment firm CEOs.”

IGM said the lectures will begin in March and anyone with the passion to run their own business can apply.

Application should be made until Jan. 11 through IEA’s official website www.igmiea.org.

Successful candidates will attend 300 hours of lectures for one year, held every Saturday. They will be also given various assignments and training. <The Korea Times/Kim Tae-jong>