-To mark its 70th anniversary, Hannam University is organizing a range of events to share its vision with the local community and engage with citizens
-Selected in 2024 for the Specialized Competency Business Incubator (BI) Development Support Program (Industry–Academia Collaboration Type) and the ‘BI Operation Support Program’
-Hannam University’s greatest strength is its clear identity as ‘a university specialized in entrepreneurship’, having been selected as an Entrepreneurship-Centered University in 2023 and operating the program to date
-Since being designated as an Entrepreneurship-Centered University, Hannam University has identified and nurtured 233 startups over the past three years, achieving cumulative revenue of KRW 175.7 billion as of the end of August 2025
-Hannam University’s Campus Innovation Park was completed in February 2025 as the first of its kind nationwide, realizing Korea’s only fully operational model that transforms underutilized university land into an advanced industrial hub
-Specialized programs such as the Design Factory are recognized as one of Hannam University’s key strengths, actively realizing ‘interdisciplinary education’
Seung-Cheol Yi, who assumed office as the 18th President of Hannam University, said, “We have continued to move forward without pause toward a new leap for the university, guided by the vision of ‘Together with the Region, a Great Transformation to the World’.”
President Yi said, “I developed a deep understanding of the university’s history and identity through my experience as a professor and administrator,” adding, “Since assuming the presidency, I have worked to oversee the university’s overall administration and pursue more strategic and sustainable development.” On January 19, President Yi was interviewed at the Ojeong-dong campus of Hannam University in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon.
Member of the Daejeon Metropolitan City Science and Technology Committee (2024– )
Member of the Daejeon Metropolitan City Regional Talent Recruitment Council (2024– )
Advisory Member for the Development of the Republic of Korea Army and Navy (2009–2023)
Policy Advisory Member of the Republic of Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff (2015–2017)
Unification Education Committee Member, Ministry of Unification (2012–2016)
President of KAVKAS, Adenauer Stiftung (2011–2013)
You have served as President of Hannam University since 2024. Could you share your reflections on the past two years?
“Over these past two years, what I have felt most strongly is the power of ‘people’. The true strength of our university lies in the passion and capabilities of every member of the community, including students, faculty, staff, and alumni. They share a deep commitment to the university and a strong sense of alignment with its collective vision, and each continues to do their best in their respective roles. Witnessing this has deeply moved me, and it is why I can confidently say that the future of Hannam University is very bright. During the remaining two years of my term, I plan to focus on formulating and putting into action a concrete vision for Hannam University’s ‘next 100 years’, building on the experience and know-how accumulated so far. I will do my utmost to establish clear strategies for the university’s future direction, including educational innovation, strengthening research competitiveness, engagement with the local community, and internationalization, and to deliver tangible results.”
What would you highlight as your key achievements since taking office?
“Since taking office, I have worked to create future growth engines for the next 100 years under the slogan ‘Together with the Region, a Great Transformation to the World’. Above all, we devoted extensive efforts together with university members to secure major national policy projects, and these efforts have begun to yield tangible results.
As one example, the university’s Business Incubator Center was selected in 2024 for both the ‘Specialized Competency Business Incubator Development Support Program (Industry–Academia Collaboration Type)’ and the ‘BI Operation Support Program’. The ‘Specialized Competency BI Development Support Program’ is a newly launched initiative in 2024 that promotes the specialization of business incubator centers by developing and operating differentiated incubation programs, while accelerating the growth of resident startups. Hannam University was the only institution in the Daejeon region to be ultimately selected for the Specialized Competency BI Development Support Program (Industry–Academia Collaboration Type), taking a leading role in supporting local startups. Hannam University was also selected as the lead institution for the ‘BI Operation Support Program’ in the ‘2024 Business Incubator Center Management Evaluation’.
Last year, Hannam University was selected as part of the ‘Advanced Materials and Nano Convergence’ consortium under the government-led ‘Advanced Fields Innovation-Convergence University (COSS)’ program, which aims to cultivate talent in cutting-edge fields. The COSS program supports the operation of interdisciplinary and convergence curricula for university students who aspire to enter advanced industrial fields but have been unable to access relevant education due to differences in their academic majors. The project consortium will receive annual funding of KRW 10.2 billion and will be supported for a total of four years (2024–2027).
Hannam University was also selected as a participating university in the regional track of the ‘Humanities and Social Sciences Convergence Talent Development Program (HUSS)’, jointly administered by the Ministry of Education and the National Research Foundation of Korea. The program aims to cultivate future convergence talent by breaking down boundaries between departments within the university and between universities to establish a humanities- and social sciences–centered convergence education system. As part of this effort, the Local Synergy Convergence Bachelor’s Program (Local Community Specialist Track) has been formed, with participation from six departments: Korean Language and Creative Writing, Library and Information Science, History, Christian Studies, Social Welfare, and Counseling Psychology. Hannam University’s Advanced Medical Bio Innovation Talent Development Project Group was selected for the ‘2024 Next-Generation Biohealth Industry Innovation Talent Development Program’, jointly designated by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
In December last year, Hannam University signed a memorandum of understanding with Daejeon Metropolitan City, the Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA), KT Corporation, BKB Energy, and MRO Defence to establish the ‘Hannam University AX Cluster and High-Performance AI GPU Hub Center’. Looking ahead, Hannam University will establish a high-performance GPU-based AI data center on its campus to support research institutions and AI-specialized companies. By leveraging the campus-based urban high-tech industrial complex, the university will build a fully integrated AX ecosystem in which research, data, GPUs, education, and industry circulate in one place. In combination with Daejeon’s strong R&D capabilities, we will concentrate all of the university’s resources to become a core engine that drives global AI competitiveness beyond Korea.”
“For Hannam University, 2026 is a truly meaningful year. Celebrating the 70th anniversary goes beyond simply marking the passage of time. It carries deep significance as a moment to reflect on the path the university has taken and to serve as a starting point for a new leap toward the next 100 years. Every region has a leading university that represents the area and embodies its traditions and values. In the central region of Korea, I proudly believe that Hannam University has long fulfilled that role. Hannam University was founded in 1956 through the dedicated efforts of missionaries from the Presbyterian Church in the United States and is a university rooted in Christian values. Today, approximately 12,000 students are pursuing their studies on the Hannam University campus, and more than 120,000 alumni are active across diverse fields both in Korea and around the world. All of this stands as living evidence of Hannam University’s growth and development alongside the local community, and reflects its stature as a prestigious Christian university representing the Daejeon and Chungcheong regions.
To mark its 70th anniversary, Hannam University is preparing a wide range of commemorative events, including cultural and arts programs, concerts, and festivals, to share its vision of advancing together with the region and reaching out to the world with the local community and citizens. The university plans to open its doors wide to the local community, creating a time for everyone to celebrate together and explore the future. Moving forward, Hannam University will build on its 70-year tradition to fulfill its mission as a partner in educational innovation for future generations and in the advancement of the local community.”
In what areas does Hannam University have particular strengths?
“Hannam University’s greatest strength is, without question, its identity as a university specialized in entrepreneurship. Since being selected in February 2012 as the only university in Daejeon for the Startup Leading University Fostering Program supported by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Hannam University has continuously operated a wide range of government-backed entrepreneurship initiatives. These include the Early-Stage Startup Package, the Experimental Specialized Startup Leading University program supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and most recently, its designation as an Entrepreneurship-Centered University in 2023, which it continues to operate today. In this way, our university has long positioned entrepreneurship not as a partial program, but as a core strategy embedded across the entire university’s operations, and has pursued it in a systematic manner.
In particular, one of our key strengths is that we provide an environment where entrepreneurship can be practiced and experienced in real terms. Large-scale startup incubation spaces such as the Campus Innovation Park, the ‘H Startup Hub Startup Market’ where students can engage in hands-on mock entrepreneurship, practice-oriented startup infrastructure, and a range of startup scholarships and entrepreneurship-friendly academic and personnel systems designed to allow students to pursue both studies and startups together all constitute distinctive competitive strengths of Hannam University. Ultimately, I believe Hannam University’s strength lies in having built ‘a university where challenges are possible’ through a full-cycle entrepreneurship support system in which students, faculty, and the local community participate together.”
In July 2024, a total of 13 universities from seven countries—Korea, the United States, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, and Indonesia—held the launch ceremony of the Global University Consortium for Entrepreneurship (GUCE). What plans do you have moving forward?
“These plans are being implemented in a phased manner based on the Global University Consortium for Entrepreneurship (GUCE), which is led by Hannam University. At present, we have already established a global cooperation framework centered on Hannam University, with major partner universities from seven countries participating in the consortium. More specifically, a joint GUCE steering committee has been formed for shared governance among participating universities. Through a governance structure involving representatives from each institution, agreements have been reached on collaboration in areas such as curriculum development, academic operations, student selection and exchange, and the operation of joint projects.
In addition, we are systematically mapping and analyzing entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial mindset education, AI programs, and regional innovation–linked curricula and extracurricular programs currently operated by each participating university. Based on this work, we are building a modular and integrated curriculum framework that can be jointly utilized across institutions. Through this approach, we aim to establish a global entrepreneurship education platform that is not centered on a single university but is jointly operated by multiple countries and universities. At the same time, we are developing a roadmap that enables the phased implementation of innovative global education programs. Looking ahead, we plan to expand this into a results-oriented operational model that includes joint degree or joint certification programs, global capstone projects, and industry-linked entrepreneurship practicums.”
“Hannam University’s Campus Innovation Park was completed in February 2025 as the first of its kind nationwide, representing Korea’s only fully operational model that transforms underutilized university land into an advanced industrial hub.
The Campus Innovation Park serves as ‘an integrated industry–academia–research innovation platform’ where the university’s research capabilities are combined with corporate business activities, enabling the university to cultivate future-ready talent with practical skills while companies evolve into globally competitive small and medium-sized enterprises through public technology transfer and customized collaboration programs, creating a space for mutual growth. Moving beyond conventional, fragmented support systems, the Campus Innovation Park provides tenant companies with space at costs approximately 20–30 percent lower than market rates and, through the operation of an on-site makerspace, delivers one-stop support not only for resident companies but also for citizens and students, covering the entire process from idea discovery to prototype production and technology commercialization. As the operating institution for the Ministry of Education’s Industry–Academia Cooperation Complex Development Project, the Campus Innovation Park provides comprehensive support to tenant companies, including management diagnostics, consulting, industry–academia joint R&D, internships, and employment matching, and is building a sustainable growth ecosystem based on expert networks in technology, investment, management, and legal services to support the autonomous growth of resident companies. Also, through tax incentives associated with the designation of the Campus Innovation Park as an R&D Special Zone in January 2025 and a range of R&D support programs, it is playing a First Mover role in leading youth entrepreneurship and job creation through industry–academia collaboration in Korea.”
Specialized programs such as the Design Factory are one of Hannam University’s key strengths. How is the program conducted?
“The first defining feature of the Design Factory is its focus on ‘interdisciplinary education’. A total of eight departments come together to realize true convergence education, including engineering disciplines (Artificial Intelligence Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Information and Communication Engineering, and Computer Engineering), design disciplines (Media and Visual Studies and Convergence Design), and business disciplines (Business Administration and Global Business). Faculty members from these eight departments conduct team teaching, and students are each assigned one per department to form a single multidisciplinary team.
The second defining feature is that it functions as ‘a practice-oriented education platform’ that places real social and industrial challenges at the center of learning. Going beyond the simple transmission of knowledge, the program is designed to allow students to experience the entire process of defining problems themselves and working through solutions. Based on design thinking methodologies, students prioritize understanding and empathy from the user’s perspective rather than rushing to quick solutions. They then progress through idea generation, prototype development, and iterative testing and refinement, naturally acquiring convergent thinking skills that transcend disciplinary boundaries.
The third defining feature is capability enhancement through ‘global networks’. The program operates joint courses in collaboration with Design Factories at overseas universities and conducts project-based classes that address themes proposed by global companies such as IBM, Ford, Chelsea FC, and McDonald’s. By stepping beyond the classroom and receiving feedback from industry experts and international mentors, students gain an understanding of problem-solving approaches grounded in real-world practice and aligned with global standards.
Finally, the Design Factory places strong emphasis on process and growth. Rather than focusing solely on short-term outcomes, educational performance is evaluated based on communication skills, conflict resolution, teamwork, and the ability to approach problems thoughtfully, as well as a self-directed learning attitude. In this way, the Design Factory functions as a space that connects education and research with the local community and industry, implementing a participatory, problem-solving–centered education model designed to drive real change in industrial settings.”
“Our university views entrepreneurship not merely as an option for employment or startups, but as a strategic means to strengthen its core functions in education, research, and regional contribution. Based on this perspective, through the Entrepreneurship-Centered University program, we have systematically fostered university-based startups and built a structure that connects them with the local startup ecosystem. As a result, since being designated as an Entrepreneurship-Centered University, Hannam University has identified and nurtured 233 startup companies over the past three years. As of the end of August 2025, these efforts have generated cumulative revenue of KRW 175.7 billion, created employment for 441 people, attracted KRW 10 billion in investment, and resulted in 390 intellectual property applications.
In particular, beyond simply increasing the number of startups, a key characteristic is that we are achieving meaningful results in the ‘qualitative growth’ of entrepreneurship by expanding the proportion of technology-based and university-originated startups, strengthening early-stage startup activation through collaboration among students, faculty, and the local community, and providing linked support from initial launch through the growth stage. Moving forward, we plan to further expand sustainable entrepreneurship models connected to regional industries, building on the Entrepreneurship-Centered University program.”
Although we have entered an era in which entrepreneurship has become a necessity rather than a choice, anxiety surrounding entrepreneurship still persists. What do you see as the role of universities in entrepreneurship?
“Although we are living in an era where entrepreneurship has become a necessity, for individuals it still entails a high level of uncertainty and burden. At this point, I believe the role of universities has become more important than ever. Universities should be the safest environment where students and aspiring entrepreneurs can take on challenges while minimizing the risk of failure. Rather than simply encouraging entrepreneurship, universities must provide systematic, step-by-step support from idea validation and education to mentoring, prototype development, commercialization, and investment linkage, enabling ‘entrepreneurship that is not undertaken alone’.
In addition, universities offer the optimal environment to experiment with and grow foundational technologies, convergent ideas, and social value driven startups that are difficult to pursue through market logic alone. Through this, the university’s essential role is to help young people accumulate experience as an asset rather than fear failure.
Ultimately, university support for entrepreneurship is not about short-term increases in the number of startups, but about nurturing individuals who are capable of taking on challenges and building a sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem, and our university is committed to fulfilling that responsibility faithfully.”
The university will conduct regular admissions in January. We would appreciate it if you could share the strengths of Hannam University that you would like to highlight to prospective students and their parents.
“Hannam University is fully committed to supporting students so that they can grow into future leaders equipped with the capabilities required in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the knowledge based society. After admission, first year students receive focused guidance through intensive consultations with faculty members in their departments, covering university life, academics, career paths, and employment, which helps them make informed decisions and lead their university lives proactively. In addition, through a wide range of academic support systems, including major changes (transfers), double majors, interdisciplinary majors, and convergent majors, students are able to explore and design their career paths in diverse ways.”
Finally, could you share a message with all members of the Hannam University community?
“I believe that Hannam University has grown into what it is today thanks to the dedication and best efforts of our students, faculty, and staff, each contributing faithfully in their respective roles. Change and challenge at a university can never be achieved by the efforts of a single organization or individual alone.
Our university is currently in the process of shaping a new role for higher education, with entrepreneurship at its core. What matters most in this process, I believe, is not achievement itself, but building a culture that respects challenge and embraces failure as a valuable experience.
Going forward, we will continue to serve as a strong foundation where members of our university can pursue challenges with confidence and explore new possibilities. For our students, we will ensure that learning leads to real-world practice, and for our faculty and staff, we will continue to support them so that the outcomes of education and administration are meaningfully connected to the future of the university. Ultimately, the competitiveness of Hannam University comes from its people. I ask for your continued interest and participation in this journey of change that we are building together, and I will always stand behind and support your challenges to the very end.”
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