대학신문방송국

HBNU Since 1927

By Park Seok-joo Reporter, Junior of Architecture

Established in 1927, HBNU is looking forward to celebrating its 100th anniversary with 97 years of history and tradition. Let’s take a look at the history of the university and how it became what it is today.

Ethnic Education - Training of Specialized Technicians (1927-1984)

HBNU began with the establishment of the Hongseong Public Industrial Training School in Hongseong, Chungcheongnam-do on 20 May 1927, when the people of Chungcheong province joined forces to promote national education. The school was relocated to Samseong-dong, Dong-gu, Daejeon in 1932 with the Chungnam Provincial Office to Daejeon, and despite the harsh conditions of the Japanese colonization, the school endeavored to cultivate human resources with the vital mission of national education. Hongseong Industrial Training School was reorganized as Daejeon Industrial High School in 1951. It grew to be Korea’s representative higher education institution responsible for enlightened education in the modernization era. Daejeon Industrial High School was reorganized into Daejeon Industrial College in 1979 to train specialized technical personnel for industrialized societies. It was one of the pillars of Korea’s rapid growth and is now HBNU.

Establishing university identity and campus relocation (1984-2001)

Following the trend of lifelong education, Daejeon Industrial College was reorganized into a four-year Daejeon Open University*. As a result of the efforts made by all members of the university to establish a vision for the development of the university, the school gradually became a comprehensive university. At the same time, the school moved from Hyun-am, where it had been located for more than 60 years, to Yu-Seong Campus, which marked a major turning point in its innovative development.

 *Open university: A school established to provide access to college courses for those who do not have the opportunity for a normal college education.

High-Tech Hanbat University, to the light of the world (2001-2012)

On March 1, 2001, the university changed its name to Hanbat University and was selected for major national policy projects, such as the Industry-Academia Cooperation Center University Development Project, the best University in the National University Ranking, and the National University Innovation Evaluation, and received a large amount of funding. Furthermore, the university has developed into an internationally competitive university with the vision of becoming a “Global standard university for industry-academia-innovation.” In addition, with the changing educational environment, Hanbat University has challenged the path of innovation by becoming a general university that fosters regional leaders with creative capabilities.

Transitioning to a general university, and current HBNU (2012-)

HBNU became a general university on 1 March 2012 through a series of challenges and innovations. Cultivating local leaders with creative capabilities was an important mission of the general university conversion, and it became the goal of the university to lay the foundation for this. Along with the conversion to a general university, HBNU strengthened its internal capabilities by reorganizing its academic structure, establishing an integrated bachelor’s and master’s program, and establishing a general graduate school.

HBNU’s march toward a bright future is not stopping now. At the ‘2023 Global Talent Fostering Achievement Presentation’ in January 2024, the university shared the results of the integrated ‘Global Competency Enhancement through Two-Way Student Exchange’ project, including the Global Design Thinking Camp, an international capstone design with Iwate University and Chiang Mai University, and exchanges with Kagawa University and the Mongolian National University of Science and Technology. In addition, the university held the ‘Second Phase 3 Leading University in Industry-Academia Cooperation (LINC 3.0) Committee’ in February 2024 to review the results of the project and present its vision for creating a future of industrial cooperation where companies and regions grow together.

A small sprout that began in 1927 in the backwoods of Chungcheongnam-do has grown into a large tree, and its deep-rooted history is still growing. Have you ever heard the saying, “A nation that forgets its history has no future?” Against the backdrop of its history, HBNU is leading change with its core values of honesty, responsibility, and thoughtfulness. It is also presenting a vision to prepare and lead the 4th Industrial Revolution era by fostering human resources who will lead innovation in human society through the convergence of industry and academia.

Link to more detailed biography of HBNU ➜

[reference]

[1] www.hanbat.ac.kr 

[2] Encyclopedia of Korean Culture