Research

To ensure the stable research settlement of new faculty members, the Initial Settlement Support Fund is provided in the form of a research project. The fund may be used for purchasing research equipment, covering research expenses, and remodeling faculty apartments. Taking into consideration the characteristics of each department and academic discipline, support is provided differentially within a limit of 500 million KRW, which can be disbursed in installments over a period of 4 years. In cases where distinguished faculty members require support exceeding 500 million KRW, adjustments may be made through separate consultation. The amount of the Initial Settlement Support Fund is determined by the Faculty Personnel Committee. After appointment, new faculty members must submit an annual expenditure plan within the confirmed amount of the fund.

The next-generation leader researcher program is to foster and support excellent professors who will strengthen university competitiveness and lead future science and technology through creative and challenging research. Professors and associate professors who have been promoted within the last two years are eligible for the support, and they are selected based on excellence in research results, development potential as next-generation leaders, and originality in the research field. Professors selected as next-generation leader researchers receive up to 300 million won in research funds for three years.

The POSTECH International Joint Research Program is designed to promote collaborative research with leading overseas institutions and advance scientific and technological cooperation. Research teams, composed of POSTECH full-time faculty and researchers from foreign institutions, submit joint research proposals, which are evaluated through presentations and committee review to select final projects. Selected teams receive up to KRW 100 million per project for one year to support research and activities that strengthen collaborative networks, with at least two POSTECH faculty members required in each team. The program aims to generate high-quality research outcomes and foster talent development and international exchange through international joint research.

The POSTECH Conference Support Program aims to enhance the university’s global recognition and strengthen research competitiveness in the academic departments’ priority areas by hosting on-campus conferences featuring distinguished international scholars. Applications can be submitted through each department, with up to KRW 30 million available per conference. Funding recipients are selected through an annual review process, and applications must include a detailed schedule and plans for inviting prominent speakers. Evaluation will consider factors such as the relevance to the department’s priority areas, contribution to POSTECH’s international visibility, the prominence of the invited speakers, and the expected number of participants.

The POSTECH Signature Conference is the university’s flagship international conference, held annually to reflect its vision and strategic direction, enhance global visibility, and strengthen international networks. Each conference invites around 20 distinguished speakers, including Nobel laureates (Plenary), National Academy of Sciences members (Keynote), and leading experts such as journal editors, with an operating budget of approximately KRW 200 million. Since 2022, it has focused on cutting-edge fields such as regenerative medicine and drug development (2022), quantum technology (2023), and secondary batteries (2024), fostering exchanges with world-renowned scholars and enhancing the university’s global competitiveness.

The Joint Publication Support Program with New Countries aims to promote research collaboration with countries that have limited joint publication records with POSTECH, enhancing the university’s global visibility and fostering sustainable research partnerships. POSTECH faculty and researchers who publish joint papers with eligible new countries may receive up to KRW 6 million in research funding, depending on specific conditions. The funding may be used for direct research costs, including publication fees, materials, analysis, and domestic or international travel. The program supports up to 10 projects annually, and applications must be submitted through the applicant’s department.

The Research Grant Program for Securing Large-Scale Projects is operated to expand participation in large-scale collaborative R&D initiatives supported by government and industry. The program targets major research projects with an annual budget of 1 billion KRW or more, in which POSTECH serves as the lead institution, and is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis through departmental submission following the annual announcement. The program provides support for proposal preparation expenses incurred prior to the project application deadline, including domestic travel, data collection, planning, and printing costs, with a maximum of 2 million KRW per project.

We are selecting distinguished professors from among renowned scholars or scientists who have achieved internationally recognized and outstanding research accomplishments. Currently, 11 Endowed Chair Professorships (including Namgo, Se-A, Seokcheon, Yeonsan, Dongguk, and Kwon Kyunghwan Endowed Professorships) are being operated, with incentives provided through endowment fund interest income or principal, which may also be used as research funding. Separately, we also operate the Moo Eun Jae Endowed Chair Professorship, which is designated for tenure-track faculty members under the age of 50. It is awarded to core faculty members of the university who demonstrate excellence in education and research, and who can carry forward and develop the founding spirit of Moo Eun Jae while exercising leadership both within and beyond the university. An annual incentive of 20 million KRW is provided, which may also be used as research funding.

PIURI (POSTECH Initiative for fostering Unicorn of Research & Innovation) is a support program designed to strengthen the university’s research capacity by attracting and retaining outstanding PhD-level researchers. Eligible applicants include PhD holders (research faculty and postdoctoral researchers) who have secured a minimum salary commitment from a recommending POSTECH faculty member. Selection is based on departmental recommendation, research excellence, achievements, and potential for growth. Selected researchers receive an annual salary of KRW 73,500,000 (comprising KRW 36,000,000 from the recommending faculty, KRW 12,500,000 from the department, and KRW 25,000,000 from the university) for up to two years, which may also be allocated to research expenses if needed.

The POSTECH Next-Generation Convergence Research Pioneer Program is designed to support graduate students in developing self-directed research initiatives and to foster interdisciplinary collaboration. Research teams are composed of a principal investigator and co-investigators, and must include at least two graduate students from different laboratories. Master’s, Ph.D., and integrated program students are all eligible to apply. Selected teams will conduct creative and innovative convergence research for one year, aiming to generate new technologies and lead changes in industrial paradigms. Each year, POSTECH selects 10 teams and provides up to KRW 20 million in research funding per team. Through this program, graduate students will gain collaborative research experience, strengthen their research capabilities, and be given the opportunity to grow into leading researchers of the future.

The high-difficulty and challenging R&D Alchemist program is a support project to provide opportunities for growth as future researchers by supporting high-level and challenging R&D Seeds tasks centered on the next generation of academics such as Post-doctor, including the BK21 participating educational research team. It is supported for graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and research professors, and selects them by reviewing the innovation of the research topic, task performance capability, and industry ripple effect. Research projects can be selected from two areas: Disruptive technology that changes the paradigm of the market or creates new markets through the development of technology products that do not exist in the world, or Breakthrough technology that leads to a breakthrough in the industry by significantly overcoming technological limitations. The selected project receives up to KRW 15,000,000 in annual research funding.