Sogang University
Published on 12 May 2026
Sogang University's Character Development Center signed a multi-sector partnership agreement on February 26 at Ulsan Dong-gu District Office, joining POSCO E&C and Korea Habitat in a civil-government-academia initiative to advance sustainable urban development in the Namok neighborhood of Ulsan.
Under the framework, POSCO E&C and Korea Habitat represent the civic sector, Ulsan Dong-gu District the government, and Sogang the academic partner. The initiative centers on Namok's ongoing urban regeneration project, with a shared goal of improving quality of life for local residents and restoring community cohesion.
The partnership is directly tied to a redesigned course, "Sustainable Development and ESG Practice," launched in the first semester of 2026 as an inter-university credit-exchange class. A total of 36 students from Sogang, Ewha Womans University, Yonsei University, Sungkyunkwan University, Korea University, and Hongik University are enrolled.
From March 27 to 29, students completed a two-night field program at the Namok Urban Regeneration Field Support Center, visiting POSCO E&C construction sites and the Namok village area, conducting interviews with residents and experts, and developing team project proposals addressing local ESG challenges. The four team projects cover: creating community spaces from vacant properties; designing communication programs between foreign residents and local residents; exploring ways to activate the Namok social cooperative and shared commercial district; and developing resident capacity-building programs.
On April 10, POSCO E&C professional Shin Jun-young delivered a guest lecture on corporate ESG practice and social contribution. Students will continue through online and in-person sessions, team projects, and a final presentation.
Sogang's Character Development Center has run civil-government-academia-linked coursework since 2024, and aims to expand this project-based learning model to help students develop practical ESG competencies through direct community engagement.
