Administration Building

- Serving as a hub for science and technology cooperation with Central Asia… Total scale of 1.79 billion KRW, building a global cooperation platform over 3 years

Incheon National University (President Lee In-jae) announced on the 28th that it has been finally selected as the leading organization for the “2025 Korea–Central Asia Science and Technology Cooperation Center” establishment project, hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea. This project is an international cooperation initiative to actively promote cooperation in the fields of science, technology, and ICT with six Central Asian countries, and Incheon National University will invest a total project budget of 1.79 billion KRW over the next three years to establish and operate the cooperation hub center.

With this selection, Incheon National University will perform the role of a global science and technology cooperation hub connecting Korea and Central Asia, and will promote various cooperation programs such as international joint research, technology demonstration, and talent exchange. In particular, this project focuses on establishing a sustainable cooperation model in common interest areas such as climate, environment, disaster prevention, energy, and ICT, centered on Korea’s science and technology foundation.

Total scale of 1.79 billion KRW, to be promoted over 3 years… Opening a new chapter in Korea–Central Asia cooperation

The “Korea–Central Asia Science and Technology Cooperation Center” project will be promoted for a total of three years from August 1, 2025, to July 30, 2028. Incheon National University will form a team of 15 professional personnel, including professors, researchers, and external experts, centering on Professor Lee Hee-gwan (Graduate School of Climate and International Cooperation), the head of the center, to lead the project.

The total project budget is 1.79 billion KRW, including 1.2 billion KRW of government funding and 120 million KRW from the university’s own budget. The Environmental Convergence Technology Research Institute will take charge of the main operation, and various departments and institutions such as the Graduate School of Climate and International Cooperation, the KOICA Master’s and Doctoral Degree Fellowship Program, the Asian Environment and Energy Research Institute, and the Incheon InnoTown R&D Special Zone will cooperate.

Phase 1: Foundation building → Phase 2: Technology cooperation → Phase 3: Demonstration and performance dissemination

The project will be promoted in three main stages. In the first year (second half of 2025), the center’s foundation will be established, talent will be discovered, and an international conference will be held to prepare the cooperation structure. In the second and third years, practical cooperation will be activated through the implementation of joint research and technology cooperation projects, and linkage with ODA (Official Development Assistance). In the fourth year, domestic technology will be demonstrated locally in Central Asia, and the structure of long-term achievements will be pursued through the establishment of a cooperation platform.

Cooperation with leading universities in six Central Asian countries

This project will involve cooperation partners from six countries: Eurasian National University (Kazakhstan), American University of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan), Tajik Technical University (Tajikistan), Oguz Han Engineering and Technology University (Turkmenistan), Tashkent State University of Economics (Uzbekistan), and National University of Mongolia (Mongolia), forming an international network.

Through this, various types of cooperation such as joint research, educational programs, youth talent development, and community development will be carried out, and it is expected to contribute to improving the quality of higher education in Central Asia and to regional development.

INU leaps forward as an outpost for science and technology diplomacy

Through winning this project, Incheon National University will leap forward as an outpost for science and technology diplomacy connecting Korea and Central Asia. In particular, through cooperation with the Incheon InnoTown R&D Special Zone, it will provide opportunities for overseas demonstration linked with local technology companies, and is expected to contribute to expanding exports of domestic technology and enhancing its global brand image.

Professor Lee Hee-gwan, head of the center, said, “Winning this cooperation center project is the result of the international cooperation capabilities and scientific and technological expertise of Incheon National University being recognized externally,” and added, “We will create a mutually beneficial and future-oriented cooperation model between Korea and Central Asia.”

Meanwhile, Incheon National University has carried out various international cooperation projects such as the KOICA Climate Degree Fellowship Program, international development cooperation, and global environmental policy cooperation, and with this project, it is expected to expand the horizon of science and technology cooperation not only to Central Asia but also to the whole of Asia.