Belgian Marine Research Institute Branch to Open in Songdo, Incheon

Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority and Research Institute Sign Memorandum of Understanding... Targeting Establishment Next Year

The Marine Research Institute affiliated with Ghent University in Belgium is expected to be established at the Incheon Songdo Global Campus.

On the 14th, the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Marine Ugent, the marine research institute affiliated with Ghent University, to attract a branch of the institute.

After review by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the two institutions plan to establish a provisional 'Marine Ugent Korea' at the Incheon Global Campus in Songdo International City, Yeonsu-gu, around next year.

Marine Ugent, the world's largest marine convergence research institute, was established in 2012 with the purpose of marine, environmental, and bio convergence research and technology commercialization. It has over 500 professors and researchers. The institute has branches at Ghent University in Belgium and at the Ostend Science Park located in Ostend city.

Additionally, Professor Colin Jansen, the director of Marine Ugent, is a world-renowned scholar in marine environment and ecotoxicology. Last year, he was listed in the top 1% of global citation indices by the UK consulting firm Clarivate, and has served as an advisor to various international organizations such as the OECD, WHO, and the EU.

Kim Jin-yong, head of the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority (right), and Han Tae-jun, president of Ghent University Global Campus, are posing for a commemorative photo after signing the Memorandum of Understanding for attracting the Marine Ghent branch on the 14th.
[Photo by Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority]

An official from the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority stated, "Establishing a branch of the research institute in Incheon, where marine biodiversity is rich, will be a great academic asset," and added, "We will utilize Marine Ugent's research capabilities to create an opportunity to develop the domestic marine industry."

Meanwhile, Ghent University, founded in 1817 in Ghent, Belgium, is a prestigious European comprehensive university that has produced Nobel laureates in pure sciences, applied sciences, and humanities and social sciences. According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), it ranks within the top 70 overall, with life sciences and agricultural and biological sciences ranked around the top 10 to 20 worldwide.

In South Korea, Ghent University operates a global campus in Songdo International City, offering departments of Molecular Biotechnology, Food Engineering, and Environmental Science, boasting an intensive experimental curriculum and a high employment rate of 91.6%.

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