Busan is good

The Busan Metropolitan City Launches Industry-Academia Collaboration Program to Connect Young Designers and Local SMEs

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The Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) and the Busan Design Promotion Agency announced the official launch of the Youth Designer Collaborative Design Project — a practical, industry-academia partnership program that brings together local design talent and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs).

For the first time, this program involves ten student teams from the design departments of Kyungsung University and Dongseo University. These teams will tackle real-world design challenges posed by SMEs in the Busan region.

Each team is formed based on the specific needs and characteristics of the participating companies, with student work integrated into their graduation projects. The initiative aims to help students gain hands-on experience while offering companies innovative, design-driven solutions to real business challenges.

The kickoff meeting and tripartite agreement ceremony were held on April 16 at the Busan Design Promotion Agency. About 60 participants—including university faculty, students, company representatives, and officials from the agency—gathered to share project goals and initiate collaborative efforts.

At the ceremony, representatives from universities, businesses, and the public sector signed a three-party agreement that clearly defined the responsibilities of each party and committed to a cooperative structure for achieving meaningful design outcomes.

Participating companies include:

• ●Samjin Food Co., Ltd., a local heritage brand merging tradition with innovation in the food industry

• ●Taeseongdang, a long-established bakery known for its expertise

• ●Summertree Co., Ltd., a Busan-based content production and marketing firm

This program goes beyond typical industry-academic projects by focusing on assignments with direct commercial potential. Students will work on every step of the design process—from concept planning and prototyping to receiving and integrating company feedback.

This initiative offers students practical, immersive learning while providing SMEs with creative, actionable design solutions. It exemplifies mutual value creation between academia and industry.

Kim Yoo-jin, Director-General of the Future Design Bureau of The Busan Metropolitan City, stated,
“This project marks the beginning of a sustainable design ecosystem where education and industry come together to address real regional issues. We will continue to support this initiative so that both students and companies gain tangible benefits.”

The final project outcomes will be unveiled at the graduation exhibitions of Kyungsung University and Dongseo University, offering the public a firsthand look at the capabilities of young designers and their successful collaborations with local enterprises.