▲ Jo Young-tae, head of the department of smart manufacturing convergence at CWNU, explains the department of smart manufacturing convergence to local businessmen and citizens. (License: CWNU)

Changwon National University has established a government-designated Smart Manufacturing Convergence Department for the first time in Korea. CWNU was selected as the institution to implement the Smart Manufacturing Advanced Manpower Training Project by the Ministry of Trade and the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation in April. This project will train engineers in smart manufacturing, which includes artificial intelligence in manufacturing and customized mass production methods. Engineers will lead the development of technology and use Changwon as a base to implement a local industrial renaissance. The Smart Manufacturing Convergence Department is providing full support and education to train these engineers.

In the theoretical curriculum, the PBL (Project-Based Learning), Flipped Learning, and Team-Teaching methods will enhance student creativity and problem-solving skills. The company and research institute's practical training programs will focus on developing practical skills. Companies from LG Electronics, SK Networks, and Samsung SDS will participate in the practical training program. The Smart Manufacturing Convergence Department will offer courses from experts who work for companies in the industry, and offer field training and internships when the undergraduates enter their junior year.

The Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute and Korea Institute of Materials Science will participate in the research practical training program. Experts working at the institute will hold lectures, and field training will be available. Participation is not limited to South Korean companies and research institutes but will also include global ICT companies like DASSAULT SYSTEMS and Siemens. These companies will provide short-term training and provide training from experts working for global companies. Students will be able to participate in international university programs as part of an exchange program.

Exchange students will be able to sign up to go on exchange to Achaen University in Germany, and Waterloo University in Canada. Through employment linked programs with domestic and international companies will provide a customized curriculum to ensure graduates are competitive in the job market. After graduating from the Smart Manufacturing Convergence Department, graduates will be able to get a job in all manufacturing industries, including machinery and electronics. The program will also foster data processing and analysis experts, enabling graduates to pursue careers into many industries.

The Smart Manufacturing Convergence Department, which will require a lot of manpower and capital to run, is recruiting freshmen in 2021. A total of 30 students will be selected by selecting 20 students through Korean GPA and 10 by Korean SAT. In addition to academic scholarships, freshmen who enter the school in 2021 will also receive 500,000 won in monthly living expenses. As the student progress throughout their studies, the cost of living will be divided according to relative performance evaluations, and dormitories will be provided free of charge.

Enrolled students can major in smart manufacturing convergence or pursue multiple majors. The application period will be designated at the end of each school year (early January), and if the number of applicants falls short at the beginning of January, additional applications will be accepted in early July. Applications can be submitted through the CWNU portal site → Information Academic → Multi-Major Application → Shared Multiple Major (Smart Manufacturing Convergence). Students will be selected after the first stage of reviewing applications and the second stage of interviews.

Eligibility for application requires the completion of between four to seven semesters, and must meet 2nd Concentration Credit Requirements by university. Transfer students are not eligible to apply, except for students in the Department of Law, Physical Education, Nursing Science, Music/Fine Art/Dance, Architecture Engineering and College of Future Convergence, School of Global Business, and Biochemistry & Health Science. CWNU looks forward to seeing the students that major in Smart Manufacturing Convergence become experts in smart manufacturing and become leaders in the manufacturing industry of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

By Seo Hyo-Bin, cub-reporter  tjdowls99@naver.com

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