This year marks the 70th anniversary of Hannam University, which was established in 1956 in Ojeong-dong, Daejeon, through the dedication and love of missionaries from the American Southern Presbyterian Mission. Grounded in the Christian spirit of “Truth,” “Freedom,” and “Service,” our University has, for the past 70 years, cultivated talented individuals equipped with both intellectual excellence and moral character. Approximately 120,000 alumni are making meaningful contributions across all sectors of society, bringing distinction to the name of Hannam.

Based on its missionary spirit and advanced educational and research environment, along with strong cultural foundations, Hannam University has laid the groundwork to become “a university connected to the world.” Through continuous change and innovation, it has grown together with the local community while emerging as a glocal university that reaches out to the world. Today, Hannam University has firmly established its standing as a leading private university representing not only the Daejeon–Chungcheong region but also the Republic of Korea.

We now stand at a pivotal turning point in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where the role of the university is fundamentally expanding. The rapid advancement of cutting-edge technologies and the swift transformation of social and industrial structures demand that universities go beyond the mere transmission of knowledge and instead cultivate new generations of talent equipped with creativity, problem-solving abilities, and integrative thinking.

To lead in this rapidly changing era, Hannam University is further strengthening innovation in education and research, building upon the rich human and physical infrastructure, networks, and collective intelligence it has accumulated over the past 70 years. Furthermore, in collaboration with diverse partners across government, industry, academia, and research, all members of our University are united in their efforts to create “a new model of the university” that will lead the age of artificial intelligence.

As a result of these efforts, last December the University signed a memorandum of understanding with the City of Daejeon and leading domestic and international AI-related companies to establish an AI GPU hub center and AX cluster, and the project has now entered full-scale implementation. The hyperscale AI data center to be constructed within the Urban High-Tech Industrial Complex on campus will form a fully integrated AX ecosystem in which research, data, GPUs, education, practical training, and industry circulate in one location. It will serve as a core engine driving the Republic of Korea’s global AI competitiveness.

As a globally oriented institution, Hannam University continues to advance educational innovation in order to nurture “Hannam talent growing in the world.” In partnership with leading universities worldwide, we operate the Hannam Design Factory, a creative convergence curriculum that strengthens project-based learning. Through this program, students identify real-world problems, collaborate in teams to develop solutions, and produce tangible outcomes. Students engage in collaborative projects with prominent domestic and international corporations and institutions such as Meta, Ford, Mc- Donald’s, Naver, Sungsimdang, Hyundai Engineering and Construction, and Korea Water Resources Corporation, cultivating integrative competencies that transcend disciplinary boundaries as well as a global perspective.

Moving forward, Hannam University will continue steadfastly toward the next 100 years under the vision of “A Great Transformation Together with the Region, Toward the World,” serving as faithful stewards of God in service to the world. Thank you.