Industry–Academic Cooperation Foundation’s IP Competency Enhancement Program Demonstrates Its Impact at Korea’s Largest N
- Date2025.12.03
- 274
Ewha Womans University achieved outstanding results at the “2025 Campus Patent Universiade,” powered by the systematic and strategic intellectual property (IP) competency enhancement support of the University’s Industry–Academic Cooperation Foundation. This accomplishment not only reflects students’ exceptional academic abilities and willingness to take on challenges but also serves as a notable example of how the Foundation’s proactively established education, mentoring, and support system has translated into tangible outcomes.
Now in its 18th year, the Campus Patent Universiade is the nation’s largest intellectual property competition, hosted by the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) and co-organized by four related institutions, including the Korea Invention Promotion Association. The competition is sponsored by 28 companies, including Samsung Electronics, LG Display, Hyundai Motor Company, and SK Hynix, and draws strong participation every year, with 1,456 teams from 79 universities nationwide competing this year.
For this year’s competition, the Industry–Academic Cooperation Foundation designed and implemented a comprehensive preparation program aimed at equipping students not only to participate but also to build the IP analysis and patent strategy capabilities required in real industrial settings. In particular, through a collaboration with the Korea Invention Promotion Association in May, the Foundation provided pre-competition training that offered systematic and practical knowledge—from the competition’s objectives and task analysis to market and technology trend review and patent portfolio development—covering foundational IP concepts as well as hands-on problem-solving guidance.
Participants in the Campus Patent Universiade pre-competition training
The Foundation also operated a structured mentoring system composed of affiliated patent attorneys and technology commercialization experts to assist students throughout the answer development process. This system offered step-by-step tailored feedback on task analysis, prior art search, patent strategy development, report writing, presentation preparation, and presentation strategy. By applying mentoring tailored to each team’s pace and competency level, the program systematically supported students in designing and refining their own problem-solving processes.
With this extensive support, Ewha Womans University achieved remarkable results: among six participating teams, three teams won awards across different categories. The team of Kim Goeun, Im Semin, and Jung Yewon (all from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science) received the Commissioner of KIPO Award under the guidance of Professor Baek Inkyu (Department of Physics), a professor specializing in industry–academic cooperation, and Professor Kim Youngchan (Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience). Professor Baek also received the Advisor Award (Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Award) in recognition of his advising contributions. In addition, the team of Kim Kyungin, Kim Hyoeun, and Shin Jungyeon (all from the College of Pharmacy), advised by Professor Lee Yoonsil (College of Pharmacy), won the Excellence Award, while the team advised by Professor Kim Kwanmook (Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience)—Park Haeun (Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science), Park Eunseo (Department of Human–Machine–Bio Engineering), and Jo Seoyoung (HOKMA College of General Education)—won the Encouragement Award, reaffirming Ewha’s strength in the IP field through outstanding achievements across multiple disciplines.
Among the award-winning teams, the KIPO Commissioner Award recipients—Kim Goeun, Im Semin, and Jung Yewon—demonstrated exceptional analytical skills in addressing Samsung Electronics’ highly challenging task: “Establishing a Patent Strategy for AI System Semiconductors.” The team identified core patents based on large-scale patent data and proposed practical strategies that included technology dispute-prevention measures, directions for discovering new patents, and an R&D roadmap using the OS Matrix and SWOT analysis, earning high praise from the judges.
Representing the team, Kim Goeun stated, “It is an honor to receive the Commissioner of KIPO Award, but above all, I am grateful to have learned so much from our two professors. I gained practical insights that are hard to obtain as a student, such as how to analyze problems, how to work effectively, and how to collaborate,” expressing appreciation for their advisors.
(From left) Professor Kim Youngchan (Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience), Jung Yewon (Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science), Kim Goeun, Im Semin, and Professor Baek Inkyu (Department of Physics)
The awards ceremony was held on Wednesday, November 12 at Yangjae EL Tower, where winners received prize money along with the opportunity to participate in the YIPL (Young Intellectual Property Leaders) Program for next-generation IP talent development. Some sponsoring companies also provided employment-linked incentives, giving students practical career advantages.
Professor Baek Inkyu, whose team earned awards this year following last year’s success, shared, “I am truly delighted that the students achieved such great results, and the entire process was incredibly rewarding.” He added, “I hope this achievement encourages more students to explore the IP field, participate in the Campus Patent Universiade, develop analytical skills and problem-solving abilities, and build meaningful assets for their future careers.”
Professor Kim Youngchan, who co-advised the award-winning team with Professor Baek, emphasized the value of participating in the Campus Patent Universiade, noting, “The competition provides a rare opportunity to experience industrial-level practical work indirectly.” He added, “Ewha students possess strong determination and impressive problem-solving capabilities, so with proper guidance, anyone can achieve excellent outcomes. Based on the insights gained over the past two years, I plan to provide even more proactive support to participating students.”
Industry–Academic Cooperation Foundation Director Jo William stated, “It is deeply rewarding to see that the education, mentoring, and support system established by the Foundation served as a meaningful foundation as students pushed their limits, explored challenges, and solved problems.” He continued, “Moving forward, the Foundation will continue to advance practical IP education programs that proactively reflect changes in the industrial landscape, supporting students in developing the competitiveness needed for both research and industry settings.”