"Experience Science at Community Centers and Libraries"... 'Neighborhood Science Room' Program Launched for the First Time

Ministry of Science and ICT Expands Science Culture into Everyday Community Spaces
Pilot Program to Launch in Four Regions Nationwide

The Ministry of Science and ICT is launching a new science culture program designed to bring science closer to everyday life. The initiative aims to expand science culture activities beyond traditional university and research institute settings, making them more accessible by integrating them into local community spaces.

On April 23, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced, in collaboration with the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity, the launch of the "Neighborhood Science Room" program and the start of the application process to select operating organizations.

Reference photo to aid understanding of the article. The Asia Business Daily DB

The core of this program is to use community spaces such as local community centers, libraries, and public kids’ cafes to host science lectures, hands-on experiences, and interactive programs. The content will be tailored to reflect the needs of local residents, allowing anyone to encounter science naturally and conveniently in their neighborhood.

This year, the program will be piloted in four regions across the country: the Seoul metropolitan area, Honam and Jeju area, Gangwon and Chungcheong area, and Gyeongsang area. One private operating organization will be selected for each region to plan and run the science culture programs in partnership with local community spaces.

The application period for operating organizations runs from today through May 14. After the selection process, citizen participation will open in June, and the programs will be rolled out sequentially.

The government plans to gradually expand both the number of participating regions and the program’s scale based on the results of this pilot project.

Lee Joonbae, Director-General of Future Talent Policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, "The Neighborhood Science Room is a new attempt to integrate science into daily life. We will work to expand science culture policies based on everyday spaces so that everyone can easily access science."

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