Pukyong National University

Pukyong National University Selected for Ministry of Education’s ‘APEC Academic Exchange Program’

- School of Global and Interdisciplinary Studies to Lead the Program … Pukyong National University Selected as the Sole Institution among Four-Year Universities Nationwide

- International Joint Research and Student Exchange Activities with Japan, Thailand, and the United States to Continue through 2027

Pukyong National University (President Sang-Hoon Bae) has been selected as an implementing institution for the 2026 APEC Academic Exchange Program, jointly promoted by the Ministry of Education and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Institute for International Education.

The program aims to strengthen the foundation for international cooperation in higher education through joint research and student exchanges among universities across APEC economies. One four-year university nationwide is selected to receive support under the program. The project will run for two years through December 2027, with an annual budget of approximately KRW 100 million.

Pukyong National University will carry out the project under the leadership of the School of Global and Interdisciplinary Studies. Professor Chang-Yu Hong of the school will serve as the principal investigator and lead the project under the theme of “Youth Human Resource Development and Strengthening Future Employment Competencies.” By combining Busan’s strengths as a maritime and port city with Pukyong National University’s educational and research capabilities, the project aims to propose a “Blue Economy-Linked Future Employment Model for Youth.” To this end, international mixed research teams comprising Korean and international students will conduct joint research and field projects on topics such as youth employment, regional entrepreneurship, and youth mobility.

More than 100 students from Korea and abroad will participate in the project, including approximately 40 Pukyong National University students, such as those from the School of Global and Interdisciplinary Studies, and around 60 students from overseas partner universities. The university will organize a student hackathon with Fukuoka University in Japan on topics including smart ports, conduct joint research with Thammasat University in Thailand on climate change adaptation and green transition in the ASEAN region, and study strategies for encouraging young people to settle in local communities with Iowa State University in the United States. Through these activities, the university plans to establish an international joint research and student exchange network connecting Korea, Japan, Thailand, and the United States, with Busan serving as the hub.

The School of Global and Interdisciplinary Studies at Pukyong National University plans to build on its experience in international exchange and global education, accumulated through the education of international students and exchanges with universities in Korea and abroad, and expand these capabilities into multilateral academic cooperation across Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies. Through the project, the school aims to move beyond internationalization centered primarily on student exchanges and establish a new model of international cooperation that integrates joint research, international mixed research teams, global field studies, hackathons, and other activities.

Professor Chang-Yu Hong, the principal investigator, said, “Using APEC as a broader platform for international cooperation, we will leverage Busan’s strengths as a maritime and port city to develop an international academic exchange model in which young people across APEC economies can work together to explore solutions for future employment and regional innovation.” <Pukyong Today>