Planting the Seeds of Integrated Future Education: Pusan National University and Busan National University of Education Launch Edutech Hub – The Asia Business Daily

Pusan National University and Busan National University of Education, which are scheduled to merge in March next year, have established a joint hub to foster the local edutech industry and promote startup activities.

On June 8, the two universities held an opening ceremony for “EDU BIZ SPACE,” an edutech-specialized startup space located on the campus of Busan National University of Education, and officially began its operation.

This initiative is part of the Glocal University 30 project and is being carried out as a collaborative project based on the integration of Pusan National University and Busan National University of Education. The goal is to create an edutech startup ecosystem that links educational innovation with regional industrial growth.

EDU BIZ SPACE is an edutech-specialized startup space jointly established by Pusan National University and Busan National University of Education. It was created by remodeling the former Student Military Education Corps building on the Busan National University of Education campus. Going forward, it will serve as a testbed for edutech-driven educational innovation and as a platform to revitalize regionally based startups.

In particular, by the end of this year, 15 startups in the edutech sector will move in and receive various support such as startup incubation, technology advancement, and business development connections.

The opening ceremony was attended by representatives from both universities as well as officials from Busan Metropolitan City, the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education, tenant companies, and local edutech companies. Participants toured the facility and exchanged opinions on the direction of its operation and strategies to vitalize the local edutech industry.

Lee Jae-woo, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Pusan National University, stated, “EDU BIZ SPACE will serve as an innovation hub connecting the university’s research achievements with the needs of the educational field, and will become the foundation for the growth of the local edutech industry. Through cooperation with Busan National University of Education, we aim to create a glocal startup ecosystem where educational innovation and entrepreneurship form a virtuous cycle.”

Lee Seok-hee, Acting President of Busan National University of Education, commented, “EDU BIZ SPACE, which combines the educational expertise of Busan National University of Education with the startup support capabilities of Pusan National University, is the starting point for future educational innovation. We will build a demonstration-centered edutech ecosystem where prospective teachers, the public education sector, and companies participate together.”

The two universities plan to expand efforts for discovering and nurturing edutech companies, conducting demonstration projects linked to educational settings, and offering startup education programs centered around EDU BIZ SPACE. In addition, they will work to establish a regionally based educational innovation ecosystem by connecting with projects such as the first edutech soft lab for elementary and secondary education in the southeastern region and the Busan Glocal Education Center (BGEC).

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