Ghent University further expands South Korean hub with branch of Marine@UGent

In 2024, Ghent University will open a branch of the interfaculty consortium Marine@UGent on Ghent University Global Campus, its campus in South Korea. In doing so, Ghent University will further strengthen and expand its South Korean campus in Incheon and meet the South Korean government's demand to translate its internationally recognised expertise in marine and maritime research to the concrete challenges for the region.

South Korea is a peninsula with a huge coastline and a very large marine biodiversity, which is particularly interesting for high-level marine and maritime research. The broad expertise of Marine@UGent forms the basis for the new research institute to be set up on the Ghent University campus in South Korea.

The South Korean government is supporting the establishment of the new research institute and is also financing it. The South Korean department of Marine@UGent will work closely with national and local industry, authorities and knowledge institutions.

The campus will provide laboratories and office space for Marine@UGent. It is planned that at start-up, 15 Ghent University employees will work for the South Korean department, both researchers and administrative and technical staff. This will be done in close cooperation with researchers and professors from the home campus.

Marine@UGent

Some 10 years ago, Ghent University set up the Marine@UGent consortium: a knowledge cluster with meanwhile 72 research groups spread over 10 faculties and now more than 500 researchers from various fields, marine biotechnology, nature-based solutions, sustainable marine nutrition, shipping and maritime logistics, healthy oceans, offshore energy and multiple use of oceans.

Marine@UGent plays a central role in major societal challenges such as climate change, pollution and food supply. It seeks innovative and sustainable solutions to ensure ocean conservation and sustainable use now and in the future.

A lot of South Korean research institutes focus on marine science, aquaculture and fisheries. However, in the Western Sea region (Incheon, where the Ghent University campus is located), there are few if any marine research institutes, while the South Korean government considers Incheon to be a base for the most advanced maritime industry. With complementary themes such as biomaterials, sustainable aquaculture technology and renewable energy, as well as expertise in transdisciplinarity, Marine@UGent will strengthen South Korean institutions and act as the main hub for marine and maritime research in this region.