Changwon National University Establishes Korea's First 'GAST-College of Mechanical Engineering' ... Aiming for Top 5 within 5 Years

by Lee Seryeong

Published 09 Mar.2026 16:43(KST)

Changwon National University has established the 'GAST-College of Mechanical Engineering,' the country's first specialized college of its kind.

The newly upgraded GAST-College of Mechanical Engineering, evolved from the existing Department of Mechanical Engineering, stands for 'Glocal Advanced Institute of Science & Technology in Artificial Intelligence.' Its vision is to become the global hub for mechanical engineering education and research that leads the Changwon National Industrial Complex 2.0 era.

Changwon National University is collaborating with major conglomerates and research institutes located in the Changwon National Industrial Complex, such as Hyundai WIA, Hanwha Aerospace, and Hyundai Rotem, by establishing and operating joint classrooms.

Additionally, the university is building a 'campus factory' that integrates academia and industry, featuring a hands-on curriculum with working engineers participating as adjunct professors.

Furthermore, the university is introducing specialized programs tailored to the needs of future and core industries, including defense machinery engineering and next-generation nuclear power plant machinery. These new sub-majors are designed to meet corporate demand and strengthen differentiated, employment-guaranteed tracks, setting the university apart from other mechanical engineering departments.

The 'Changwon Investment' program is offered to outstanding incoming students with scores in the top 1-2 grades, granting high-achieving students priority for domestic and international internships at companies in Changwon and other benefits.

Moreover, joint degree programs will be operated in partnership with government-funded research institutes such as the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) and the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS). The university will also increase undergraduate participation in large-scale national R&D projects, thereby innovating its research and development capabilities.

Through these efforts, Changwon National University aims to establish a mechanical engineering education system that reflects the industrial structure of Changwon and the Gyeongnam region, where core mechanical engineering companies such as Doosan Enerbility, Hyundai WIA, Hanwha Aerospace, LG Electronics, and Hyundai Rotem are concentrated, making it a leading base for the domestic machinery industry.

Overview of the Vision and Strategy of GAST-College of Mechanical Engineering at Changwon National University. Provided by Changwon National University

With the establishment of GAST, Changwon National University has set a goal to rank within the top five domestic universities in the field of mechanical engineering within five years, based on QS and national department evaluation standards.

The university also aims to recruit more than 50% of new students from those who scored in the top 1-2 grades in the College Scholastic Ability Test, achieve a graduate employment rate of over 60% in major corporations and public institutions, and secure a regional retention rate of over 70%.

With the Department of Mechanical Engineering elevated to a college, Changwon National University expects its annual government-funded major project acquisition to expand to over 50 billion won.

The university aspires to achieve a student-to-faculty ratio in the mechanical engineering field that is among the best in the country and to place in the domestic top five and within the global top 100 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject for mechanical engineering.

Seokho Kim, Dean of GAST, stated, "Upgrading the Department of Mechanical Engineering to the GAST-College of Mechanical Engineering is more than just a structural reorganization; it represents a leap toward becoming a mega-university that integrates academia and industry, linked to the Changwon National Industrial Complex, the heart of Korea's machinery industry."

He added, "Through R&D innovation and cultivating outstanding talent in the machinery field, we can achieve around a 5% increase in production efficiency within the Changwon National Industrial Complex and generate approximately 3 trillion won in added value. By supplying local talent and supporting their employment, we expect to reduce corporate retraining costs by about 50 billion won annually and achieve economic effects of around 200 billion won per year by fostering locally rooted talent, thereby fulfilling the pivotal role of a national university in addressing Korea's regional decline issue."