Foundation Laid for the Establishment of the 'Smart National Safety Research Institute' and Successful Project Execution
Comprehensive Disaster Management and Professional Training Covering Earthquakes, Climate Change, and Social Disasters
Pusan National University (President Choi Jaewon) signed a memorandum of understanding on the 14th at the College of Engineering with KBS Busan Bureau, Busan Institute for Advancement of Science and Technology Higher Education, and Korea Disaster Safety Industry Technology Research Association to lay the foundation for advancing into a safe society by being selected for the National Research Laboratory (NRL 2.0) project and establishing the Pusan National University 'Smart National Safety Research Institute.'
Busan National University, KBS Busan, BISTEP, and Korea Disaster Safety Industry Technology Research Association are signing a business agreement for the attraction and operation of national research institutes. Provided by Busan National University
This agreement aims to promote Pusan National University's bid for the National Research Laboratory (NRL 2.0) project, which leads innovative research at the national level. The participating institutions have established a foundation for attracting the National Research Laboratory project and for the successful establishment and operation of the Pusan National University Smart National Safety Research Institute.
The 'National Research Laboratory (NRL 2.0) Project' is designed to foster national research laboratories that lead world-first and world-class innovative research by utilizing outstanding research personnel and infrastructure in universities' areas of strength. In 2025, about four laboratories nationwide will be selected and supported with up to 10 billion KRW per year per laboratory (50% from the Ministry of Science and ICT, 50% from the Ministry of Education) for research and development, human resource training, international cooperation, industry-academia-research collaboration, establishment and utilization of research facilities and equipment, and self-sufficiency, all operated as a block funding package for ten years.
The Pusan National University Smart National Safety Research Institute is an organization formed in connection with the National Research Laboratory project, aiming to develop advanced technologies for building a safe society from natural, social, and complex disasters. It will conduct research on empirical disaster management, a national mission, secure the sustainability of a safe society, and foster related professionals.
With the increase in natural and social disasters, including the 2016 Gyeongju earthquake and this year's nationwide wildfires, as well as growing concerns over linked and complex disasters, the need for preparedness for such events is being raised domestically.
In particular, Busan City enacted related ordinances (Ordinance on the Promotion and Support of the Disaster Safety Industry) for the first time in the country in 2016 and has been providing policy support for the disaster safety industry, thus establishing itself as the optimal location with the capacity and foundation for establishing a national research laboratory in the disaster safety field.
Accordingly, Pusan National University, led by Professor Oh Sanghoon (Director of the Earthquake Disaster Prevention Research Center) of the Department of Architectural Engineering, is uniting nine major disaster-related research institutes and 13 departments from three colleges to challenge for the National Research Laboratory project, aiming to develop technologies for building an empirical safe society through research on observation, preparedness, damage reduction, recovery, and management of natural, social, and complex disasters, and is promoting the establishment of the Smart National Safety Research Institute.
The Smart National Safety Research Institute plans to divide natural and social disasters into research groups such as earthquakes and volcanoes, climate change, and social disasters, according to their main research topics. It will derive interconnection and management indicators for each disaster, conduct convergent research on disasters and research in disaster fields above a critical scale, thereby creating an objective and empirical safe society.
Furthermore, to successfully conduct research and development, preparations are being made to produce world top-class research results through collaboration with various domestic and international research institutions, including government-funded research institutes, excellent university research centers, major domestic experimental hubs, and international joint research with renowned overseas scholars.
Korean Broadcasting System Busan Bureau, which signed this agreement, will cooperate in the selection and execution of this research project as the disaster broadcasting main broadcaster, responsible for disaster broadcasting and communication to protect the public from disasters.
The Busan Institute for Advancement of Science and Technology Higher Education, the dedicated research and development institution for science and technology in the Busan area, will work together on attracting and executing the National Research Laboratory project at Pusan National University, jointly planning follow-up research and development, and playing a central role in establishing Busan City's disaster safety policies.
The Korea Disaster Safety Industry Technology Research Association, as a specialized institution for technology development and support in the disaster safety field, will make joint efforts in the selection and execution of the National Research Laboratory research projects to support the demonstration and commercialization of research outcomes.
All participating institutions agreed to actively cooperate in the advancement of related technologies and information exchange.
This business agreement among the four institutions for building a safe society for the public will remain in effect until the end of the project if the Pusan National University Smart National Safety Research Institute is selected for the National Research Laboratory project.
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