- 12 local universities participate in sharing 2025 innovation outcomes -
Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok) announced that on February 26, the city held the Incheon RISE Results Sharing Conference at Songdo Convensia, attended by around 200 participants from Incheon, local universities, and related institutions.
The conference provided a platform to share the first-year (2025) outcomes from the Regional Innovation-led University Support System (RISE) project, which brings together 12 universities in the Incheon region. The event also aimed to spread outstanding practices from each university.
Held under the theme “Incheon RISE – Results of Innovation, Promising for the Future”, the conference was hosted by Incheon City with Incheon Technopark serving as the organizer. The program included the 2025 RISE awards for contributors, a report on the progress of Incheon’s RISE initiative, presentations of best practices from each university, and an exhibition of results.
During the first session, awards were presented to 10 contributors who supported the stable establishment and activation of Incheon RISE over the past year. In the following session, Director General Shin Seung-yeol of the city’s Planning and Coordination Office delivered a presentation titled “Progress and Future Direction of Incheon’s RISE Initiative”, sharing the regional innovation foundation and key outcomes built through cooperation between the city and local universities.
During the second half of the conference, 12 universities participating in Incheon RISE presented best practices that reflect the characteristics and strengths of each institution while introducing regional innovation models that connect local government, industry, and academia.
Major examples included Gachon University’s “Digital Job Transition for Working Nurses,” Inha University’s “Moduin Platform for Talent Development,” Inha Technical College’s “Virtuous Cycle Industry–Academia Cooperation Model Based on a Regional Industry Council,” and Jaeneung University’s “Lifelong Vocational Education University that Grows Together with the Region.” The presentations highlighted talent development linked with regional industries and the progress of university innovation.
An exhibition area at the venue introduced outcomes from the RISE projects and best practices from each university, allowing participants to see innovation results firsthand.
The Incheon RISE project aims to establish a region-led university innovation framework and has been underway since 2025, with 12 universities in Incheon currently taking part. The city is building a virtuous cycle in which university education and research outcomes feed into regional growth. Main efforts include talent development in regional strategic industries, stronger cooperation among government, industry, and academia, innovation in lifelong education, and the resolution of local issues.
Incheon Deputy Mayor for Administrative Affairs Ha Byeong-pil stated, “This conference is a meaningful occasion to present innovation outcomes created jointly by universities and the region and to share them more widely. Based on best practices verified in the field, we will further strengthen cooperation between universities and local government, continuously advancing Incheon’s regional innovation model.” He added, “Incheon will provide active support for the RISE project to establish itself as a core platform that drives the joint growth of the region and universities.”
Looking ahead, Incheon plans to use the results sharing conference as a springboard to further solidify the foundation for cooperation between universities and the region. The city will expand support for the stable establishment of RISE and the creation of sustainable outcomes.
