Gyeongnam Information University is accelerating the establishment of a collaboration model that connects the local community and industry by simultaneously enhancing localized lifelong vocational education and practical training in the advanced battery sector.
The university is expanding its role as a representative community college in Busan by addressing local issues while fostering talent for future industries.
On August 6, Gyeongnam Information University announced that its Anchor Project Group (formerly the RISE Project Group) recently participated in the '2026 Education Innovation Forum' held at the Paradise Hotel in Busan, where it presented exemplary cases of localized lifelong vocational education.
The forum, themed 'Embracing the Era, Connecting the World: Educational Transformation in the AI Age,' was organized in conjunction with the '2026 KNN Education Innovation Forum.' It aimed to discuss the direction of localized vocational and lifelong education in response to policy changes, including the Ministry of Education's transition to a regional growth talent development system (ANCHOR).
Gyeongnam Information University highlighted its 'Special Case of Industry-Academia Lifelong Education' by showcasing the 'Sasang Gardeners Professional Training Program' operated last year. This program was designed as a localized educational initiative in preparation for the designation of Samrak Ecological Park as a national garden, focusing on practical training to cultivate landscaping professionals and engage residents and local organizations in improving the local living environment.
During the presentation, Bang Mi-sun, Director of the Vocational Education Innovation Center, stated, "To achieve effective innovation in industry-academia lifelong vocational education, it is necessary to enhance the local talent development system by linking local fields with educational curricula based on administrative support such as ordinance enactment."
In a subsequent panel discussion, Shin Soo-an, a professor in the Department of Environmental Landscape Design, emphasized the sustainability of community-based lifelong education. He remarked, "A talent circulation system that transforms the community can be established through sustainable learning that leads to formal educational programs rather than event-based learning."
Gyeongnam Information University's practical education is also extending into advanced industrial sectors. The university recently concluded a 10-day joint educational program called '2026 Battery Process Laboratory Practice,' part of the Ministry of Education's '2026 Innovation Convergence University Project (Battery).' Seventeen students from four universities, including Gyeongnam Information University, Pusan National University, Chungbuk National University, and Inha University, participated in this program. The focus was on enhancing practical skills by jointly utilizing educational infrastructure across universities.
Students engaged in hands-on experiences in battery module simulation, PLC control, pouch cell assembly, and manufacturing high-voltage battery packs and modules for electric vehicles, moving between specialized laboratories at Pusan National University and Gyeongnam Information University. Notably, this year, training in pouch cell assembly at Pusan National University was newly added, enhancing the program's completeness.
One participating student commented, "It was very beneficial to experience the pouch cell assembly and high-voltage battery pack manufacturing processes in well-equipped laboratories at Pusan National University and Gyeongnam Information University, rather than just learning theoretically in the classroom. It was a meaningful time to develop practical skills and confidence required in the actual industry."
Shim Jae-hyung, head of the Battery Innovation Convergence University Project Group, stated, "By linking the excellent educational infrastructure of Gyeongnam Information University and Pusan National University, we provided students with opportunities to gain deeper practical experience. We will strive to lower barriers between participating universities and expand the joint use of high-cost advanced equipment to cultivate convergence-type practical talents that will lead the next-generation battery industry."
Gyeongnam Information University plans to continuously enhance its educational system that connects community and industrial needs by expanding localized lifelong vocational education and practical training in advanced industries based on inter-university collaboration.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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