□ From April 14 to 18, DGIST (President Kunwoo Lee) visited Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in Central Asia to explore various opportunities for expanding educational and research cooperation with leading universities.
□ This visit was more than a simple exchange and aimed to establish a global collaboration ecosystem aligned with DGIST’s ongoing initiatives, such as the establishment of the Graduate School of Technology Management.
□ In Uzbekistan, DGIST visited several institutions in the capital city of Tashkent, including New Uzbekistan University, Pharmaceutical Technical University (PTU), and Tashkent International University. At New Uzbekistan University, DGIST agreed to dispatch IT-focused volunteer groups and conducted an on-site inspection to assess the local educational environment and infrastructure for program implementation. At PTU, the two institutions expanded upon existing agreements by specifying student exchange programs and an intensive summer education course (summer camp). At Tashkent International University, they explored the possibility of joint educational and research programs, with an official agreement anticipated during the university’s reciprocal visit to DGIST this May.
□ In Kazakhstan, DGIST established collaborations with Kazakhstan-British Technical University (KBTU) and KIMEP University. With KBTU, DGIST plans to initiate full-scale educational cooperation focused on student exchange programs in engineering and IT, as well as to share technical education models and promote joint research.
□ The partnership with KIMEP University is particularly noteworthy. Renowned for its excellence in business education in Central Asia, KIMEP University has emerged as a key partner for DGIST’s initiative to establish the Graduate School of Technology Management. The two institutions discussed not only student exchange programs but also joint research between faculty and researchers, along with the operation of interdisciplinary programs focused on business education—expanding the scope of their collaboration. Through the Graduate School of Technology Management, DGIST aims to cultivate master’s and doctoral-level professionals in technology management by integrating engineering and business. The collaboration with KIMEP is expected to serve as a foundation for generating tangible educational outcomes.
□ DGIST also held discussions with the Education Center of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Almaty to seek strategic advice on attracting outstanding students from Kazakhstan and to exchange ideas on tailored support measures for international students from Central Asia. They reviewed specific strategies such as those related to enhancing scholarship programs, providing career support aligned with students’ majors, and strengthening Korean language and cultural adaptation initiatives.
□ During this trip, DGIST also extended invitations to all partner universities to participate in the upcoming World Engineering Education Forum & Global Engineering Deans Council 2025 (WEEF&GEDC 2025), scheduled to be held in Daegu this September. WEEF&GEDC is an annual international forum that brings together engineering education institutions from around the world, and DGIST successfully secured the hosting rights in collaboration with the city of Daegu.
□ President Kun-woo Lee stated, “DGIST is actively expanding strategic partnerships with leading universities in emerging countries, based on the recognition that future competitiveness cannot be secured without global collaboration. We will continue to strengthen the foundation for global education and research collaboration and spare no effort in evolving into a global hub for nurturing world-class innovative talent.”
