Plaza, Community Spaces, and Sports Facilities to Begin Construction in 2024
Library Remodeling Completed Last May... Reading Seats Doubled
Incheon Global Campus Professor Apartment Expansion Rendering [Provided by Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority]
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority is accelerating efforts to improve the educational environment at the Incheon Global Campus (IGC) in Songdo International City, an extension campus of foreign universities.
Through improvements such as the installation of plazas, parks, and sports facilities on idle land from the first phase of the IGC project, as well as the expansion of student dormitories and faculty apartments and remodeling of the library, they are actively working to strengthen university competitiveness.
On the 28,372㎡ remaining land of the IGC Phase 1 project site, the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority announced on the 11th that it will invest 7.8 billion KRW to create a nature-friendly plaza, community spaces, futsal fields, and other recreational sports facilities, along with internal roads, as part of the "Idle Land Educational Environment Improvement Project."
This project aims to expand the insufficient green, rest, and sports spaces in conjunction with the expansion of student dormitories and faculty apartments. After basic and detailed design next year, construction is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2024 and be completed by the end of 2025.
The faculty apartment expansion will cost 18.1 billion KRW to build 60 units (25-pyeong size) in a building with one basement floor and 16 above-ground floors on a 3,300㎡ site. Construction will start next month, targeting completion by the end of 2024.
Additionally, the student dormitory expansion, with an investment of 27.3 billion KRW, will construct 200 rooms (double occupancy) in a building with one basement floor and 10 above-ground floors on an 8,180㎡ site. Construction will begin in September next year and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. To save 4 billion KRW in agency management fees and ensure prompt administration, the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority has decided to directly commission the student dormitory expansion project instead of outsourcing it to a public enterprise.
Earlier in May, the IGC library was remodeled with an investment of 1.2 billion KRW and reopened. The number of reading seats was doubled from 400 to 800, and 34 group study rooms were created to accommodate various group sizes, including single rooms, 4-person rooms, 6-person rooms, 12-person rooms, and group rooms.
An official from the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority stated, "The competitiveness of the Incheon Global Campus depends on stable residential conditions and high-quality educational support services. We will actively support the Idle Land Educational Environment Improvement Project to ensure that faculty and students can fully concentrate on research and studies."
The Incheon Global Campus began development in Songdo International City in 2012 to nurture the next generation of global talent.
Currently, extension campuses of five foreign universities are located here: Stony Brook University of New York State, George Mason University, University of Utah, State University of New York Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), and Ghent University of Belgium. Enrolled students receive the same education and degrees as at their home campuses and can study for one year at the foreign home campus during their enrollment period.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
