CNU has recently been selected for a series of large-scale government-funded research projects, proving its prestigious status as a research-oriented university. CNU attracted 13 new government support projects in the first half of this year. They are core projects of respective governmental agencies such as the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, and the Ministry of Science and ICT, respectively, for the purpose of fostering future talent, research and development capabilities, and industry-university-research institute cooperation.
Nurturing Experts to Lead the Next Generation of Technology
First of all, CNU has launched ▲ Artificial Intelligence Convergence and Innovation Talent Fostering Project ▲ Information Security Specialized University Support Project ▲ Semiconductor Specialized University Support Project, and ▲ Ministry-Collaboration-Based Talent Development (Future Automotive Technology Convergence and Innovation Talent Fostering Project) for fostering future talent from this year.
The Artificial Intelligence Convergence and Innovation Talent Fostering Project aims to nurture practical, high-quality talent in the field of artificial intelligence convergence, which is the core area of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. As a large-scale support project costing about 6 billion KRW (including 5.25 billion KRW from the government and 525 million KRW from local governments), CNU’s project initiative (director: Professor Yang, Hyung-jeong) plans to foster high-quality convergence talent in the fields of healthcare, mobility, and energy by 2026.
The Information Security Specialized University Support Project has been established to train outstanding talent leading the future information protection industry amid the increasing importance of cybersecurity. CNU secured approximately 3.3 billion KRW in funding, including 2.7 billion KRW in government funds. CNU’s project group led by Professor Choi Kwang-hoon will establish a new undergraduate program in the information security field and train excellent information security experts through specialized education until 2028.
The Semiconductor Specialized University Support Project aims to foster core semiconductor experts who will lead the world. Selected as a co-development university, CNU’s project group (director: Professor Hong Sung-hoon) secured approximately 3.3 billion KRW in funding, including 2.7 billion KRW in government support. The university plans to cultivate next-generation mobility-related semiconductor talent and lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The Ministry-Collaboration-Based Talent Development Program organized by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy seeks to actively respond to industrial changes and develop innovative talent, particularly in the future automotive field. CNU’s project team, headed by Professor Lee Won-ho, has received a budget of 1.4 billion KRW (including 1.3 billion KRW from the government and 0.1 billion KRW from the university) to nurture experts for future automotive industries through innovation-convergence education until 2025.
Enhancing National Competitiveness in Basic Technology Research
Additionally, CNU leads outstanding research projects, demonstrating its excellent research capabilities, including ▲ Regional Leading Research Center (RLRC), ▲ Industrial Technology Alchemist Project, ▲ Science Research Center (SRC), and ▲ the Basic Research Laboratory (BRL) project.
The Regional Leading Research Center Project aims to foster outstanding local talent while spreading research achievements to lead regional innovation centered around leading research centers of local universities. CNU achieved the honor of having two research centers selected for the project. Under the leadership of Professor Kim Soo-wan from the School of Medicine, The Leading Research Center for Kidney Disease Control and Advancement of Dialysis Equipment, and under the leadership of Professor Lee Chang-moon from the College of Engineering, the Leading Research Center for Total Solutions for Osteoporosis will embark on fundamental technology development until 2030. Each research team secured a budget of approximately 12.5 billion KRW (including 10.125 billion KRW in government support).
The Industrial Technology Alchemist Project is to secure a new market by developing core original technologies that will change the landscape of the future industry. CNU’s project team directed by Professor Kim Myeong-jin will receive government support of 21.1 billion KRW for the total project cost and carry out innovation tasks until 2029. It plans to develop a remote interaction and experience-sharing-enabled Extended Reality (XR) technology platform for maintenance avatars in extreme environments.
The Science Research Center aims to foster excellent research groups with global research competitiveness. CNU’s project group headed by Professor Cho Kyoung-oh secured a budget of 11.7 billion KRW (including 10.53 billion KRW in government support) and will focus on developing core technologies for treating RNA virus infections in animals and humans until 2030.
The Basic Research Laboratory aims to strengthen national basic research capabilities by supporting small-scale research groups with competence. With four research institutes selected, CNU can now focus more on basic research. Each research team will receive government support of 1.375 billion KRW. Professor Yang Hyung-jeong’s research team studies meta-sympathetic intelligence while Professor Lee Dong-wook’s team looks into the mechanism of change in mixed trophic plants according to environmental changes. Also, Professor Lee Sun-woo’s team conducts research on the reaction of carbon-nitrogen bond-forming reaction and Professor Im Young-jun’s team studies the development of new antifungal drugs.
From Research Centers to the Field: Establishing an Industry-Academia Innovation Belt
In addition, CNU takes a leading role in projects such as the ▲ Industry Innovation Infrastructure Establishment Project, ▲ Semiconductor Joint Research Institute, and ▲ University Creative Asset Utilization Support Project, which all in all connect university‘s core technologies to regional revitalization.
The Industry Innovation Infrastructure Establishment Project aims to support companies’ technological innovation activities by establishing joint utilization technology research and development (R&D) infrastructure which is essential for industrial development in places like universities. CNU’s research team led by Professor Kang Seong-soo secured a project cost of 14 billion KRW (government support 10 billion KRW along with 4 billion KRW from the local government) to establish a demonstration base for implantable bioabsorbable medical devices and to enhance the global competitiveness of advanced medical devices by 2026.
The Semiconductor Joint Research Institute aims to build infrastructure for semiconductor industry where education, research, and practice can be conducted simultaneously to foster future experts. With a budget of approximately 3.3 billion KRW, CNU’s project team (directed by Professor Lee June-key) will undertake the task of establishing semiconductor infrastructure to resolve the shortage of semiconductor professionals in the Honam region by 2028.
The University Creative Asset Utilization Support Project facilitates the commercialization of university technology through collaboration between universities, local governments, and companies to increase the practical utilization of university assets. With a budget of approximately 2.8 billion KRW, CNU‘s project initiative led by Director Jung Young-ryong of the Technology Management Center of the CNU R&BD Foundation, will develop and commercialize technology linked to regional specialized industries and contribute to regional growth until 2026.
Creating a Startup Environment for Challenges and Innovations
Furthermore, CNU has taken on the responsibilities for projects such as ▲ University Innovation Leadership in Entrepreneurship Education Project and ▲ Specialized Laboratory-Based Entrepreneurship Leadership Project in the effort to activate entrepreneurship.
The University Innovation Leadership in Entrepreneurship Education Project aims to support practical entrepreneurship education in collaboration with the region to resolve regional disparities in entrepreneurship education. Selected as a university consortium, CNU’ project team (headed by Vice President Min Jung-joon) secured a budget of 3.75 billion KRW and will take the lead in innovative entrepreneurship education in the Honam and Jeju regions until 2028, focusing on expanding the foundation of entrepreneurship linked to regional specialized industries.
The Specialized Laboratory-Based Entrepreneurship Leadership Project aims to promote technology-innovation-based entrepreneurship by leveraging excellent research results of universities to produce high added-value. CNU’s project group headed by Vice President Min Jung-joon was selected as a university alliance and will receive a budget of approximately 2.4 billion KRW. Until 2024, it will establish 12 innovative entrepreneurial labs and connect their research achievements to business models to support entrepreneurship.
President Jung said, “CNU has taken on significant roles in government-supported projects this year to foster national talent and undertake core tasks that lead the global market. This signifies the recognition of the university’s excellent research capabilities, which is an encouraging development.” He further added, ”As a national flagship university, CNU will continue to explore various opportunities for fostering future talent, facilitating basic research, and contributing to the development of the region.”
