Six Science and Technology Exchange Delegations

Visited Kwangwoon University to Discuss Cooperation on Next-Generation Extreme Semiconductors and Energy Materials 

On the 18th, a delegation of 6 national science and academic and field representatives, including officials from Norwegian higher education policy and research consultative government agencies and officials from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Korea, visited Kwangwoon University. They discussed research cooperation and academic exchange plans between Kwangwoon University and Norwegian universities.

Kwangwoon University President Kim Jong-heon, Director of Industry-University Cooperation Park Chul-hwan, Dean of Academic Affairs Seok-jae Jeong, Dean of International Affairs Han Jae-hyeon, Director of High Energy Gap Semiconductor Research Center Ku Sang-mo, Professor Kim Min-gyeong of Electronic Materials Engineering, etc. attended the meeting.

The Norwegian delegation visited Kwangwoon University as a representative university for science and technology cooperation in the Seoul region during their official visit to Korea from the 14th to the 18th. The entire delegation visited Kwangwoon University to expand research cooperation and exchanges with Kwangwoon University in the fields of next-generation extreme cold semiconductors and energy. The Norwegian delegation included Hilde Haaland-Kramer, Head of International Relations, Vegard Furustøl Vibe, Advisor, Tone Flood Strøm, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Education, National Studies, National Higher Education Council; The Council consisted of key figures such as Marianne Jensen, Chief of Staff, Special Advisor Aleksandra Witzcak Haugsta, and Consul Christine Mee Lie of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Korea.

Norway is an energy powerhouse with abundant oil, natural gas, and marine and fisheries resources, investing in more than 9,000 global companies worldwide. Norway's sovereign wealth fund has declared that it will achieve carbon neutrality "Net Zero" by 2050. It owns 70 state-owned companies in 12 ministries with an ownership value of about 170 trillion won. Norway is showing high interest in energy and next-generation extreme semiconductor technology, such as replacing all taxis with electric vehicles and promoting the installation of wireless charging roads.

Hilde Holland-Kramer, head of the delegation, said, “We are aware of the importance of expanding cooperation in science and technology fields where Kwangwoon University is strong, such as next-generation extreme semiconductors, batteries, and AI. I hope that through this opportunity, direct cooperation and people-to-people exchanges with Norwegian institutions and Kwangwoon University in the field of science and technology will be expanded.”

Park Cheol-hwan, head of industry-university cooperation, said, “Norway is an oil-producing country, but 97% of its total electricity is obtained through renewable energy such as hydropower and wind power. Mentioning that it has developed into a world-leading country in the energy field, such as having the world's third-largest electric vehicle market. I hope that this visit will serve as a cornerstone for active exchanges between Kwangwoon University and Norwegian universities and research institutes in areas such as extreme semiconductors, energy, and AI-ICT.”

President Kim Jong-heon introduced the ICT-based school in the era of hyper-convergence and said, “I hope it will serve as an opportunity to strengthen international cooperation, including research cooperation and student exchanges in Kwangwoon University’s major science and technology research fields, such as next-generation extreme semiconductors, energy, and AI.”

An academic exchange workshop was held through the meeting that followed. Researchers from Kwangwoon University, including the head of the High Energy Gap Semiconductor Research Center (Professor Koo Sang-mo, Department of Electronic Materials Engineering), who are conducting cooperative research with the University of Oslo, and the Norwegian delegation, are seeking ways to cooperate, and the Norwegian science and technology internationalization policy and Korea have recently become a priority country. In the framework of the Panorama Strategy included, in-depth discussions were held on further advanced cooperation in the future.