Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) is expanding cooperation in education, research, and industry-academia collaboration in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and software with the Ministry of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Tashkent University of Information Technologies named after Muhammad al-Khwarizmi (TUIT).

As part of these efforts, Kookmin University welcomed a delegation from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Digital Technologies and TUIT on Thursday, September 10, to discuss cooperation in digital technologies and signed an agreement with TUIT to strengthen collaboration in the software field. The delegation included Jamol Tilloyevich Makhsudov, Deputy Minister of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and Bakhtiyor Shukhratovich Makhkamov, Rector of TUIT. Kookmin University officials, including President Jeong Seung Ryul and Byoung Joon Kim, Director of International Affairs, also attended the meeting.

△ Photo: (From left) Byoung Joon Kim, Director of International Affairs at Kookmin University; Bakhtiyor Shukhratovich Makhkamov, Rector of TUIT; Jamol Tilloyevich Makhsudov, Deputy Minister of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan; and Kookmin University President Jeong Seung Ryul discuss traditional Korean tea culture during a tea gathering at the Tea House at Museum Myungwon.

During the meeting, the two sides agreed on the importance of cooperation among universities, government, and industry in cultivating digital professionals who will lead future industries. In particular, they agreed to build a foundation for practical cooperation by combining the strengths of both universities in digital technology fields, including AI and software.

Kookmin University and TUIT then held a signing ceremony for an agreement aimed at promoting education and industry-academia collaboration in the software field. Under the agreement, the two universities plan to pursue consultation and exchanges regarding AI and software curricula, while jointly developing educational and industry-academia cooperation programs in partnership with companies in the information and communications technology (ICT) and manufacturing sectors.

Following the signing ceremony, the delegation toured Kookmin University’s major educational and research facilities. At Museum Myungwon, the visitors experienced traditional Korean tea culture. They then visited the Autonomous Driving Studio and the joint research laboratory G-Lab at the College of Software Convergence, where they learned about Kookmin University’s practice-oriented education system and advanced technology research capabilities.

△ Photo: Jamol Tilloyevich Makhsudov, Deputy Minister of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan, tours an exhibition gallery at Museum Myungwon.

Kookmin University President Jeong Seung Ryul said, “This exchange with Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Digital Technologies and TUIT will provide an opportunity to further expand the foundation for education, research, and industry-academia collaboration between the two countries in the fields of AI and software. We will continue to identify practical areas for cooperation, including joint curricula, research exchanges, and industry-linked programs, and contribute to cultivating globally competitive digital talent in both countries.”

Kookmin University and TUIT have maintained research exchanges in advanced technology fields such as AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), cybersecurity, and smart cities. In 2024, the two universities jointly organized the 2024 IEEE and IFIP International Conference on Information Science and Communications Technologies (ICISCT 2024), which was supported by organizations including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The latest agreement is significant in that it expands the academic and research cooperation established at that time into the areas of education and industry-academia collaboration.

Meanwhile, as Kookmin University marks its 80th anniversary, it is preparing for a new leap toward its next 100 years under the vision “Setting the Standard in Higher Education” and the slogan “Make the Rule, Break the Rule.” To this end, the university has established its mid- to long-term development strategy, “KMU VISION 2035: EDGE,” and identified four major strategies for strengthening its competitiveness. Among them, the university is placing particular emphasis on enhancing global competencies and networks by expanding exchanges with leading universities and institutions around the world and broadening the foundation for global talent development and international joint research.

△ Photo: (From left) Byoung Joon Kim, Jeong Seung Ryul, Jamol Tilloyevich Makhsudov, Bakhtiyor Shukhratovich Makhkamov