UNIST has received an additional KRW 400 million from Korea Zinc Co., Ltd. to establish a new education and industry collaboration space within its College of Engineering. Named the KZ TROIKA DRIVE HALL , the new facility is scheduled to open in spring 2027.

The latest contribution brings Korea Zinc's total support for UNIST to KRW 700 million since 2021, reflecting a growing partnership focused on advanced manufacturing, energy technologies, and AI-driven industrial innovation.

A donation ceremony was held on May 19 at the Main Administration Building of UNIST, attended by UNIST President Chong Rae Park, Vice President for Research Affairs Hyun Sil Ahn, university officials, and executives from Korea Zinc's Onsan Refinery.

The hall is named after Korea Zinc's Troika Drive growth strategy, which focuses on renewable energy and hydrogen, resource circulation, and battery materials as key future growth areas.

The 220-seat space will undergo a full renovation beginning later this year, with construction set to begin in December. The upgraded facility will include large-scale LED displays, enhanced audiovisual systems, and redesigned interiors intended to support both academic instruction and industry engagement.

UNIST plans to use the hall for courses, industry seminars, recruitment programs, technology forums, and executive lectures, while also serving as a venue for collaboration in areas including secondary batteries, green hydrogen, resource circulation, and AI-driven smart manufacturing.

The partnership between UNIST and Korea Zinc began in 2021 through joint research initiatives in batteries and advanced materials. Since then, the collaboration has expanded into carbon-neutral industrial technologies and AI workforce training for manufacturing professionals.

One notable outcome has been the UNIST × Korea Zinc AI Novatus Academia program launched earlier this year, which trained 291 Korea Zinc employees in AI applications for manufacturing optimization and industrial problem-solving.

“Korea Zinc's continued support has played an important role in strengthening UNIST's education and research capabilities,” said President Chong Rae Park. “We hope the KZ TROIKA DRIVE HALL will become a place where future engineering talent can thrive and where universities and industry can work together to solve real industrial challenges.”

Seung Hyun Kim, Head of Korea Zinc's Onsan Refinery, said the partnership with UNIST has become an important foundation for the company's future growth initiatives. He added that the new hall is expected to serve as a space connecting students, researchers, and industry professionals.