The main issues, discussed during the visit of the Korean delegation of Chonbuk National University (Chonbuk National University, or abbreviated CBNU) to Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute on May 2d were the ones connected with the establishment of the cooperation between both universities in educational and scientific spheres as well as creation of a joint innovation platform on the basis of the Science Park “Kyivska Politechnica”.
It was not the first time when Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute was visited by the representatives of the university which is one of the top ten leading universities in South Korea. Last year in November, CBNU and Igor Sikorsky KPI signed a memorandum on cooperation. Therefore, the current visit was devoted to the clarification of the key points of that document.
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Lee Young-Gu introduced a delegation of scientists and lectures led by CBNU Vice President on planning Kim Hak Yun to their Ukrainian colleagues. The delegation included CBNU Deputy Vice President on industry cooperation. Kim Man-Yon (the Department of Aerospace Engineering of the Engineering College). Deputy Vice President Lee Kyo U (Centre for the Languages Study of the Engineering College, the Department of Mechanical Engineering). Dean of the Engineering College Kim Chol Sana (the Department of Mechanical Engineering), and Associate Professor Cow Jung-Ho (Engineering College, the Department of Quantum Engineering). Director of the Korean Educational Center in Ukraine Yu San Bohm and the manager of this center, Rim Kil Ho, also took part in the negotiations at the Igor Sikorsky KPI.
Since the main purpose of the visit of CBNU representatives to Igor Sikorsky KPI was to study the possibilities of establishing cooperation and determine its most promising directions, after the campus exclusion and the exposition review of the State Technology Museum, the members of the delegation met the university administration and the representatives of institutes and faculties. Chancellor of Igor Sikorsky KPI. Academician of NASU Mikhaylo Zgurovsky. Deputy Prorector of scientific work Igor Litvinov, general director of the Science Park “Kyivska Politechnica” Volodymyr Hnat. Head of the Subdivision of Foreign Economic Affairs of the Department of International Cooperation Andrii Shysholin, as well as teachers and scientists of several subdivisions participated in that meeting.
The negotiations began with the presentation of the Innovative Ecosystem “Sikorsky Challenge”, created on the basis of the Science Park “Kyivska Politechnica” by Volodymyr Hnat. He spoke not only about the structure and workings of the ecosystem, but also about its prospects, including the Polyteco Science City project, which involves the creation of the entire KPI Innovation City with an appropriate infrastructure, laboratories, and facilities. The joint Ukrainian-Korean innovation platform could become one of them components of aforementioned project. The question of its foundation and the model it should follow has already been discussed several times during South Korean high officials, scientists and educators’ visits to Igor Sikorsky KPI.
After that, the representatives of educational and scientific departments gave the presentations on their faculties and scientific research results in a number of directions. Associate Professor Yuri Bogomol represented the Faculty of Engineering and Physics and the work of its researchers; Associate Professor Oleksandr Sokolskyi gave a presentation on innovations developed by the workers of the Faculty of Chemical Engineering; Professor Olha Liniucheva commented on the faculties of chemistry and technology and some of their scientific research; and Professors Oleksandr Lugovskyi and Oleksandr Shevchenko finished the presentation with one of the promising projects of the Mechanical Engineering Institute scientists.
In their turn, the guests acquainted Kyiv polytechnicians with opportunities of their university.
During the discussion of presentations, the participants exchanged their views on the most promising directions and forms of cooperation. CBNU representatives put a special emphasis on academic exchanges, without excluding the implementation of double diploma programs in some specialties. From the point of view of our university representatives, joint innovative projects could become very interesting. At the same time, as Mikhaylo Zgurovsky emphasized, concrete and useful for both parties products and technologies should become the result of the implementation of similar projects. Especially, if we consider that such cooperation would allow both universities to realize their full potential. “n the KPI, the fundamental science which we try to combine with applied research is traditionally strong,” the KPI Chancellor reminded. – “Your country is perhaps the first in the world in the fields of commercialization of science and launching new startups. So why wouldn’t we combine our competitive advantages in joint projects? “
However, both sides agreed that joint innovative projects should not be initially too large-scale and the future prospects need to be a separate subject of discussion. “Please, formulate a list of your interests and proposals concerning our cooperation. – Mikhaylo Zgurovsky offered the guests in the end. – And then we may prepare and sign the appendices to the memorandum, which will specify the forms of the cooperation, certainly following the national laws of Korea and Ukraine. Afterwards, we will be able to talk about big projects – joint satellites, etc”.
In the photo: Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Lee Young-Gu is
introducing CBNU representatives.
