The School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) was established in 1997, though it dates back to 1986 when the unit of general education was first created at KAIST. Since its establishment, SHSS has substantially expanded its educational curriculum and research programs. SHSS plays a unique role at KAIST. With its nineteen faculty members, it forms an independent educational unit within the university, taking primary responsibility for instruction and research in all fields of study other than science and technology. In a science and technology university such as KAIST, the importance of liberal arts education cannot be emphasized too much, as it provides a basic understanding of the social environment surrounding the science community.