Kwangwoon University and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration Signed an Agreement to Create a Defense Industry Contract Department to Train Experts in Unmanned Systems, Robots, and Artificial Intelligence

[From left to right: Son Jae-hong, Director of Defense Technology Promotion Research Institute, Kim Jong-heon, President of Kwangwoon University, Eom Dong-hwan, Head of Defense Acquisition Program Administration]

Kwangwoon University signed an agreement for the establishment and operation of a "Defense Industry Contract Department" aimed at fostering specialized personnel in the defense unmanned, robotics, and artificial intelligence fields, which was organized by the Defense Technology Promotion Research Institute. The agreement ceremony was held with the attendance of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and the Defense Technology Promotion Research Institute on April 25^th.

The "Defense Industry Contract Department" is a project that fosters graduate-level and doctoral-level research and development personnel in the advanced defense fields, reflecting the demand of the defense industry. Kwangwoon University was selected as one of the host universities through the Defense Technology Promotion Research Institute's competition, and has opened a related contract department to cultivate talent in the defense unmanned, robotics, and artificial intelligence fields. The university will provide degree program support for prospective employees and current employees of relevant companies in these fields. 

President Kim Jong-heon stated that "Kwangwoon University operates a Defense Industry Contract Department and a Defense Industry Research Institute, and performs talent development and policy research related to defense strategic technology." He also announced plans to establish a "National Defense AI Robot Convergence Department" based on the support of the Defense Industry Contract Department, aiming to cultivate graduate-level and doctoral-level personnel who will lead the advanced defense industry.

On the other hand, the university operates the largest software convergence college and an AI research center in Korea. Through initiatives such as the SW-centered university project and the Intelligent Robot Innovation Sharing University Team, the university is continuously promoting the training of specialized personnel and the innovation of the education system in the field of AI and robotics. In particular, the Department of Defense Industry was established as the first defense industry degree program in Korea in 2007 and has been producing master's and doctoral-level personnel in defense engineering and defense management for about 15 years. The department has achieved remarkable results, such as being selected as a university-based research center by the Korea Research Foundation in 2017 (Defense Industry Research Institute) and being listed in KCI journals in 2022 (Advanced Defense Research), etc.