Gyeongsang National University is enhancing cooperation among domestic universities and expanding international academic exchanges to strengthen the training of professionals and research capabilities in the aerospace and defense sectors. The university is formalizing joint education and research collaboration with Korea Aerospace University while hosting an international conference attended by 370 experts from both domestic and abroad to share innovations in aerospace component design and manufacturing technology.
On October 23, Gyeongsang National University President Kwon Jin-hwa and Korea Aerospace University President Heo Hee-young, along with key officials from both institutions, held a face-to-face agreement ceremony to strengthen collaboration in the aerospace and defense fields. This event was announced on October 26.
The ceremony followed a memorandum of understanding signed on July 28 regarding the 'Regional Growth Talent Development System (Anchor) 5 Regions 3 Specialties Shared University.' The two universities reaffirmed their commitment to the existing agreement and discussed specific directions for educational and research cooperation.
Key areas of collaboration include: operating educational programs linked to aerospace and defense companies and research institutions, utilizing infrastructure for practical training and research, joint education through the 5 Regions 3 Specialties Shared University, artificial intelligence (AI) integrated education and industry-academia joint AI transformation (AX) education and research, and shared use of educational and research facilities, equipment, data, and specialized personnel.
Gyeongsang National University serves as the leading institution for the Southeast Region 5 Regions 3 Specialties Shared University, which includes universities in Gyeongnam, Busan, and Ulsan, and is working to develop talent needed for regional strategic industries and establish a joint education and research system.
Korea Aerospace University is a specialized institution covering all areas of aerospace, from aircraft and satellite design to operation, control, and logistics. The two universities plan to leverage their respective expertise and practical infrastructure to identify joint education and research projects that meet industry demands.
Heo Hee-young, President of Korea Aerospace University, stated, "Since the beginning of my tenure, I have envisioned educational cooperation in the aerospace industry that connects regions across the nation. We will create channels for direct communication among faculty members from both universities to ensure this agreement leads to tangible results in education and R&D."
In addition to domestic university cooperation, international joint research and technology exchanges have continued. Gyeongsang National University announced that it hosted the '26th International Conference on Aerospace and Manufacturing Technology' from October 21 to 25 at the university, Gyeongnam Techno Park Aerospace Headquarters, and Hotel Namgang.
The conference attracted a total of 370 participants, including 315 domestic experts and 55 international experts, who presented 209 research papers focusing on aerospace component design and manufacturing innovations through keynote speeches, special lectures, and oral presentations.
The event was co-hosted by the Gyeongnam Aerospace and Defense Science and Technology Institute, GNU Aerospace and Defense Research Institute, and GNU Mechanical and Aerospace Future Talent Education Research Group, with support from the Gyeongsang National University Defense Industry Technology Convergence Research Institute, the Department of Technology Management (MOT), the Gyeongnam Tourism Foundation, and Sacheon City.
Domestic participants included Gyeongsang National University, Changwon National University, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Jeonju University, Korea Polytechnic University, as well as research institutions like the Korea Industrial Technology Testing Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, and Gyeongnam Techno Park. Industry representatives from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Daedong Gear, Central, and Sail Industry also shared their technology development cases and research outcomes in the aerospace sector.
Internationally, experts from Japan's Nagoya University, Kyushu University, Hiroshima University, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), as well as China's Chongqing University, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Jiangsu Ocean University, France's CEM DEFENSE, and the University of Alberta in Canada participated.
Keynote speeches addressed topics such as flight robot design, autonomous systems, and manufacturing innovation technologies. Professor Susumu Hara from Nagoya University introduced flight robot design and production education and international expansion cases from Nagoya University and Climate University.
Kim Hyun-cheol, Director of CEM DEFENSE in France, presented European trends in embedded intelligence and autonomous systems that connect AI technology with aerospace capabilities. Um Jeong-pil, Head of the Intelligent Machinery Division at Gyeongnam Techno Park, explained changes in manufacturing innovation technology and the direction of fostering the Gyeongnam robotics industry.
This conference began in 2000, following an international exchange cooperation agreement signed between Gyeongsang National University and Nagoya University in November 1999. Initially, it alternated between Korea and Japan, and since 2007, it has been held at Gyeongsang National University during the Sacheon Air Show, supported by Sacheon City.
Professor Ryu Seong-ki from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Gyeongsang National University stated, "Through this annual international conference, we have achieved results in international joint research among professors from Japanese and Chinese universities, as well as in attracting international students for short- and long-term training programs."
He added, "This year, new research outcomes and developments regarding component design technology and manufacturing innovation technology in the aerospace and defense era were presented."
Kwon Jin-hwa, President of Gyeongsang National University, emphasized the importance of linking specialized capabilities between universities and closely connecting education and research with industry to enhance competitiveness in the aerospace and defense sectors. He stated, "We will create joint research outcomes that provide broad educational opportunities for students and contribute to the development of regional industries."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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