Pusan National University Wins Grand Prize in AI Innovation at Korea Management Awards... Only University Honored

PNU AX Transformation: Full-Scale AI Integration in Education, Research, and Administration
"We Will Set a New Standard for Innovation in Higher Education"

Pusan National University (President Choi Jaewon) has received the Grand Prize in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Innovation category at the "2025 Korea Management Awards," organized by the Korea Management Association Consulting (KMAC).

Pusan National University is the only university to have won in this category, which was newly established this year. The awards ceremony was held on December 9 at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul.

The "Korea Management Awards," established in 1988 and now in its 38th year, is the nation’s most prestigious management innovation evaluation. Each year, it recognizes companies and institutions that demonstrate outstanding management capabilities and innovation. This year, reflecting the accelerating industrialization of AI, a new "AI Innovation" category was introduced to address the evolving industrial landscape.

Since announcing its integrated "PNU AX Transformation" strategy in July, Pusan National University has been implementing a mid- to long-term plan to fully integrate AI across all areas of education, research, and administration.

Based on this strategy, the university launched the Jang Yeong-sil AI Convergence Research Institute and developed "Sanjini AI," the first proprietary LLM-based model among national universities. This generative AI service is available to both university members and the local community, marking the full-scale establishment of an AI ecosystem.

Additionally, Pusan National University became the first in Korea to introduce AI-powered smart glasses for translation and interpretation, lowering language barriers in educational and research environments. The university is also expanding its AI-based higher education innovation system by launching the first university-level AI certification program. Pusan National University received high praise for establishing the first-ever "AI Philosophy (AX Philosophy)" among universities and for leading the transition to AI-based systems.

Alongside Pusan National University, Dongwon Industries and GS Caltex were also selected as recipients in the AI Innovation category. In total, 17 organizations, including Incheon International Airport Corporation, IBK Industrial Bank of Korea, LG Uplus, and Korea Electric Power Corporation, received awards in various categories.

President Choi Jaewon of Pusan National University stated, "AI is at the heart of a structural transformation that goes beyond mere technological innovation and determines national competitiveness. Pusan National University is accurately reading these changes and setting a new standard for higher education innovation through the 'PNU AX Transformation,' which is redesigning all university systems based on AI."

He added, "This award is especially meaningful as it is an official recognition of Pusan National University's efforts in AI transformation. As a responsible university that leads change rather than merely observing it, Pusan National University will spearhead innovation in Korean higher education through AI-driven transformation."

Pusan National University is receiving the Grand Prize in the AI Innovation category at the Korea Management Awards. Photo by Pusan National University

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