On October 6, Jeju University (President Yang Deok-soon) announced the selection of four companies for its 'Industry-Academia Cooperation Talent Development Support Project' under the Jeju Regional Innovation Cluster initiative.
This program is part of a larger effort spearheaded by the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province (Governor Oh Young-hoon) and the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, designed to foster regional innovation through partnerships between local bio firms and university research labs.
Central to the program is the operation of Contract Labs, where Jeju University collaborates with promising regional enterprises to jointly cultivate specialized professionals.
This initiative aims to connect participating students with employment opportunities in leading companies, bridging the gap between education and industry needs.
The Jeju Regional Innovation Cluster team has allocated approximately 120 million KRW (around $90,000) to support joint research efforts between participating universities and companies engaging in the Contract Lab.
Students involved in the program will receive full compensation, ranging from 1.2 million KRW ($900) monthly for undergraduates to 3 million KRW ($2,250) for doctoral candidates.
Moreover, participating students will also receive full tuition scholarships from the partnered companies.
This year, the Contract Lab project includes collaboration between Professor Jung Man-young from the College of Education and J2K Bio, a KOSDAQ-listed company.
They will undertake the task of isolating marine microorganisms from Jeju and conducting genomic analyses to secure strain resources.
Additionally, Professor Hyun Chang-gu from the Department of Chemistry and Cosmetics is partnering with KOSID Biopharm to develop cosmetic materials based on Jeju’s native resources.
Furthermore, Professor Cheon Ji-yeon from the School of Food and Biochemical Engineering is cooperating with UMU to extend the shelf life of cookies for national distribution.
Three students from Jeju University are expected to secure jobs with these companies by December this year.
In addition to the Contract Lab, the Jeju University Regional Innovation Cluster also supports the operation of Project Labs.
These Project Labs are designed to identify the technical needs of local bio companies ahead of time, fostering exceptional talents under the joint supervision of university professors and corporate experts.
This year, students will engage in the technical development processes of leading regional firms, including J2K Bio’s research on exploring skin benefits from marine microorganism-derived active fractions and TwinChem’s development of PDRN using Jeju’s native plant microorganisms.
The initiative plans to invest approximately 40 million KRW ($30,000) into these collaborative industry-academia research development projects.
According to Professor Hyun, the project lead, this local innovation cluster talent development initiative will serve as a mini-model for the Regional Innovation Support System (RISE) aimed at overcoming regional decline and challenges faced by universities.
He stated, "The Industry-Academia Cooperation Talent Development Project could exemplify a robust case of regional innovation, ensuring that universities provide practical education, companies gain access to top-tier talent, and Jeju develops a workforce capable of entrepreneurship.
" In a broader context, the Jeju Regional Innovation Cluster aligns with the central government's agenda for balanced national development.
The Special Self-Governing Province of Jeju’s Innovation Industry Bureau, led by Jeju Technopark, is intensively fostering the food and cosmetics industries.
The main participants include Jeju Technopark, the Jeju Regional Industry Promotion Agency, and the Jeju University Cosmetics Science Research Center.
