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Busan City Selected for Ministry of Environment’s Specialized Graduate School Project — Nurturing Talent to Lead the Green Industry

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The City of Busan (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that Busan National University and Pukyong National University have been selected for the Ministry of Environment’s Specialized Graduate School Project in the fields of Water (Hydrothermal) Energy and Waste Battery Recycling, respectively. These universities will receive national funding over the next five years to train local master’s and doctoral-level experts.

On February 12, the Ministry of Environment issued a public call for universities to participate in the establishment of specialized graduate schools aimed at developing green technologies to tackle the climate crisis and lead the green industry. One university was selected for each of the following four areas:

• ●Water (Hydrothermal) Energy

• ●Waste Battery Recycling

• ●AI-based Circular Economy

• ●Start-ups and Ventures

Busan secured selections in two out of four categories, resulting in a total of approximately KRW 4 billion in government funding over five years.

• ●In the Water (Hydrothermal) Energy category, Professor Ji-Hwan Jung (Mechanical Engineering, Busan National University), who conducts research on eco-friendly heat exchangers using natural refrigerants, was selected in collaboration with Professor Jae-Deok Ko of Korea Maritime & Ocean University. This partnership will receive KRW 380 million annually (totaling KRW 1.9 billion over five years).

• ●In the Waste Battery Recycling category, Professor Pil-Geon Oh (Pukyong National University) and Professor Min-Jun Park (Busan National University) formed a consortium, which will receive KRW 450 million annually (KRW 2.25 billion total) to develop regional talent.

As part of the 8th popularly elected administration’s policy pledge, Busan has actively pursued support for the creation of carbon-neutral specialized graduate schools. This selection is the result of swift administrative support and close collaboration with local faculty in response to the Ministry’s announcement of the new program.

The pledge aims to expand the number of designated graduate schools specializing in carbon neutrality from one in 2022 to three by 2026.

With these recent selections, the city expects to strengthen its foundation for a regional carbon-neutral industry ecosystem, spanning the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam (BUK) region, and to establish a robust training system for green industry experts.

Busan plans to continue offering administrative support to ensure the growth of local universities and industries in transitioning to carbon neutrality.

Mayor Park stated,

“The launch of this talent development initiative is a major step in realizing Busan’s vision as a leading carbon-neutral city. It is especially meaningful that local universities have been selected in both the Water Energy and Waste Battery Recycling fields. This opportunity will not only help Busan lead in green technologies but also foster a national ecosystem for green industry growth.”