Changwon National University Maker Agit Receives Top 'S Grade' Again in Ministry of SMEs Evaluation

Changwon National University Maker Agit Fab Lab Changwon Center received the highest grade, S, in the 2022 Makerspace Activation Project annual evaluation hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.

According to the university on the 6th, the Makerspace Activation Project is in its fifth year since it began in 2018.

Changwon National University was selected again this year among 227 makerspaces nationwide, making the S-grade list following the annual evaluations in 2019 and 2020.

Maker Agit Fab Lab Changwon Center was established in 2018 on the first floor of the Changwon National University Library as the first library makerspace in the Gyeongnam region, driven by the commitment of Changwon National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation.

It serves as a testbed where university members, local residents, and companies can visit anytime to realize their ideas and create new value.

Changwon National University Maker Agit.
Photo by Changwon National University

▲ Conducting manufacturing accelerating programs for prospective entrepreneurs at the startup challenge stage ▲ Supporting prototype production for local companies ▲ Collaborating through maker networking with related local organizations ▲ Promoting a shared-based industry-academia-research cooperation network.

Last year, creative and convergence maker training programs for youth and digital manufacturing technology education for vulnerable groups such as career-interrupted individuals, youth hoping for self-sufficiency, and multicultural families were implemented.

As a result, achievements included 8,664 annual users, 258 educational sessions, 1,937 trainees, and 8,604 prototype outputs.

Various programs such as Changwon National University National University Promotion Project, LINC 3.0 Project, and support for convergence of departmental major courses were also planned and executed.

Center Director Lee Byung-hoon evaluated, “We were able to achieve the best results in the final fifth-year annual evaluation by continuously carrying out active education and project activities to spread the local maker culture, nurture creative convergence talents, and revitalize employment and startups.”

He added, “We will continue to stabilize operations and establish institutionalization stages to serve as a core role where Changwon National University and local members can converge and collaborate.”

Yoon Hyun-kyu, Director of the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, said, “Maker Agit Fab Lab Changwon Center will faithfully fulfill the role of a national university that grows together with the local community by supporting various human and material infrastructures and strengthening continuous cooperation systems with various departments such as Changwon National University National Project Group, LINC 3.0 Project Group, and Startup Support Headquarters.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.