What began as a virtual research workshop has grown into a new international doctoral program that will connect engineering students and researchers across two continents.
The UNL College of Engineering and Kongju National University (KNU) in South Korea recently signed an agreement establishing a joint Ph.D. program in mechanical engineering. KNU - located near Sejong City, the nation’s administrative hub - was established in 1948 and has nearly 22,000 students on three campuses.
The partnership creates new opportunities for students to take graduate-level courses and conduct research at both institutions, while strengthening faculty collaboration and expanding the college’s global network.
The agreement is the culmination of several years of relationship-building beginning in 2021 when Dongkyoung Lee, professor of mechanical and automotive engineering at KNU, contacted Jae Sung Park, Richard L. McNeel Associate Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Nebraska. KNU had recently received funding through South Korea's prestigious Brain Korea 21 initiative for its Graduate Program for Eco-Friendly Future Automotive Technology and was seeking an international partner to strengthen its research and graduate education efforts.
The next step came a year later when faculty from Nebraska and KNU met virtually in 2022 to share research and identify opportunities for collaboration.
"We organized a virtual workshop between KNU and UNL in 2022," Park said. "Since then, we've continued to build the partnership through faculty visits, research collaborations and graduate student exchanges. It's exciting to see those efforts lead to a joint Ph.D. program."
The relationship has steadily expanded. KNU faculty and graduate students visited UNL in 2023, 2025 and 2026, with several graduate students conducting research alongside College of Engineering faculty, including Bai Cui, professor of mechanical and materials engineering, and Yongfeng Lu, Lott Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Those exchanges laid the foundation for a formal academic partnership that will enable doctoral students in engineering fields to benefit from the expertise, research facilities and faculty mentorship available at both universities while earning a degree jointly recognized by Nebraska and KNU.
"This agreement has been the result of several years of effort and collaboration, supported by many university leaders, administrators and staff members, including the strong support of our college deans and our Mechanical and Materials Engineering department chair (Jeff Shield)," said Cui. "The program will strengthen our research partnerships while creating exceptional opportunities for graduate students at both institutions."
Although the joint Ph.D. program is currently focused on graduate students in mechanical and materials engineering, college leaders see it as the beginning of a broader relationship.
For KNU students, the program offers opportunities to study and conduct research in the United States while accessing Nebraska's research facilities, faculty expertise and collaborative academic environment. For Nebraska Engineering students and faculty, the agreement opens new avenues for international research partnerships and future associations with one of South Korea's leading engineering institutions.
"Joint Ph.D. agreements are relatively rare because they require a high level of institutional trust, academic compatibility and long-term commitment," said Allison Hinesley, international activities associate for the College of Engineering. "This partnership enhances the college's international reputation while creating new opportunities for collaborative research, faculty engagement and graduate student recruitment."
Beyond expanding educational opportunities, the partnership is expected to strengthen Nebraska's ability to recruit graduate students from South Korea and increase international research collaboration within the college. Additional opportunities for Nebraska Engineering students include potential study abroad programs at KNU. Faculty and staff have been working closely with UNL Global Partnerships & Initiatives to explore new collaboration opportunities with KNU
"What started with a single conversation has grown into a partnership that benefits students, faculty and both universities," Park said. "We're excited to see where it leads next."
