On May 29, the HUSS Global Symbiosis Project Team at Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) held the finals of the 3rd “2026 Global Symbiosis Joint Academic Festival” in Room 301 of the Business Administration Building on campus.

This event was a joint academic conference organized by the Kookmin University HUSS Global Symbiosis Project Team, bringing together the five participating universities (Kwangwoon University, Kookmin University, Sunmoon University, Yeungnam University, and Honam University) of the HUSS Global Symbiosis Consortium, which is supported by the Ministry of Education and the National Research Foundation of Korea. This year’s academic festival, themed “Proposing Interdisciplinary Problem-Solving Ideas for Global Sustainable Symbiosis and Growth,” was held from March 30 to May 29 and consisted of preliminary and final rounds.

The festival was organized to analyze the complex issues facing global society—such as the climate crisis, social inequality, demographic changes, cultural conflicts, and ethical issues arising from technological advancements—from the perspective of university students, and to seek solutions through interdisciplinary collaboration based on knowledge from various fields of study.

The nine teams that advanced to the finals presented ideas across diverse fields, including sustainability, technology, welfare, culture, language, and urban issues. Each team explained their problem identification, proposed solutions, and expected outcomes through presentations and Q&A sessions, while the judges comprehensively evaluated the entries based on topic relevance, creativity, interdisciplinary approach, feasibility, and presentation skills. The final judging panel consisted of Professor Ahn Hyunchul (Department of Business Information Systems), Professor Thompson Ephrain Kwashie (KIBS), and Professor Joo Song Ha (Department of Political Science and International Relations).

The Grand Prize was awarded to the “MediBridge” team from Yeungnam University for proposing a “Cultural Idiom-Based Symptom Translation and Hospital Matching Solution” to improve medical accessibility for international students. The First Prize went to the “Sipsiilbap” team from Kookmin University for presenting the “Make One More Portion” campaign for vulnerable youth. The Excellence Awards were presented to the joint team “CitySeed” from Kwangwoon University and Sunmoon University for proposing an AI-based, citizen-participatory carbon transition platform utilizing local energy data; the “Gwi-yeop-jo” team from Kookmin University for presenting an AI-based, user-customized, accessibility-focused integrated cultural tourism platform; and the “Solocare” team from Kookmin University for proposing an AI-powered monitoring system to prevent solitary deaths among single-person households. The “Global Symbiosis Award” was also presented to the other teams that advanced to the finals.

Professor Ahn Hyunchul of Kookmin University’s Global Symbiosis Project Team, who organized the event, stated, “This academic festival provided an opportunity for students to interpret complex issues in the global society based on their majors and areas of interest, and to propose solutions through interdisciplinary collaboration.” He added, “We will continue to expand various programs so that students can grow while experiencing the value of a sustainable future and global symbiosis.”

Meanwhile, the HUSS Global Symbiosis Consortium has been jointly operated by Kwangwoon University, Kookmin University, Sunmoon University, Yeungnam University, and Honam University for three years starting in 2024, with support from the Ministry of Education and the National Research Foundation of Korea. The consortium is promoting various educational and international exchange programs with the goal of cultivating 2,500 convergent talents equipped with the ability to respond to sustainable resources, understand sustainable industries, and embrace a sustainable international society.

△ Photo from the Global Symbiosis Alliance Academic Festival