On Tuesday, September 23, at The Catholic University of Korea Seongui Campus in Seocho-gu, Seoul, The Catholic University of Korea and POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) signed an education and research exchange agreement. The two universities plan to strengthen a full-cycle convergent research ecosystem that fosters physician-scientists and medical scientists by linking joint degree programs with research infrastructure and commercializing research outcomes.

At the signing ceremony held on September 23 at Seongui Campus, Seoul, Choi Jun-gyu, President of The Catholic University of Korea, stated, “We will combine the strengths of our universities in medicine, engineering, and science to cultivate convergent talent and create a virtuous cycle that connects research outcomes to practical commercialization.”

In 2005, the two universities established the joint research institute, POSTECH-Catholic University of Korea Biomedical Engineering Research Institute (POGA Research Institute), to combine technical and clinical capabilities. As the first institute in Korea jointly created by a medical school and a science and technology-focused university, it was established in 2008 at Seongui Hall of The Catholic University of Korea, supported by a strategic investment of 23 billion KRW from both universities. Within five years of its founding, the institute achieved financial independence and operates as a self-sustaining entity, now celebrating its 20th anniversary.

The POGA Research Institute has a newly constructed space of approximately 3,300 m² and advanced research facilities. Through joint research projects, it identifies and nurtures key research teams while also supporting venture company development. With over 100 full-time research staff and more than 200 participating researchers, the institute trains physician-scientists and medical scientists with a convergent foundation spanning engineering and basic medical sciences. These researchers actively engage in diverse studies, including elucidating disease mechanisms and developing diagnostic and therapeutic technologies.

However, joint research at the POGA Research Institute had been conducted mainly on an individual researcher basis, limiting sustainability. To address this, the two universities plan to implement Korea’s first joint degree program between a medical school and a science and technology-focused university.

The joint degree program institutionalizes equal collaboration and shared responsibility between the universities. The Catholic University of Korea and POSTECH will systematize the graduate joint degree (MD-Ph.D/Ph.D) programs under an education committee composed equally of both universities and will adopt a shared academic management system to jointly operate the curriculum. The goal is to establish a system that links joint education, joint research, and the commercialization of research outcomes, moving beyond mere exchange to produce tangible convergent results.

Going forward, the universities aim to expand the role of the research institute, strengthen the collaborative research platform between medicine, science, and engineering, and support the practical application process through technology transfer and startup initiatives. Leveraging the industry-academia-research-hospital network, they plan to commercialize research outcomes, address the reality that non-clinical physician-scientists represent only 18.6% of the total, and enhance competitiveness in advanced bio fields.

Kim Seong-geun, President of POSTECH, stated, “This agreement and the joint degree initiative will serve as a core foundation for establishing a full-cycle ecosystem that organically links education, research, and commercialization. We will set a model case for both universities to jointly enhance advanced bio R&D competitiveness.”