[DigitalToday reporter Jin-ho Lee] The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) Europe Research Institute marked its 30th anniversary, reviewed its past achievements and unveiled a new vision to advance into a Korea-Europe global research cooperation hub.

The KIST Europe Research Institute said on July 19 it held a 30th anniversary ceremony on July 17 (local time) at Saarbruecken City Hall in Saarland, Germany.

The KIST Europe Research Institute is the country's first overseas base for research cooperation, established in Saarbruecken, Germany, in 1996. Last year, it won a related research project as the first domestic institution after South Korea joined Horizon Europe as an associate member. It was also designated as a Ministry of Science and ICT Global Strategic Base Center (G-KIC).

Attendees included KIST President Oh Sang-rok (오상록) and KIST Europe Research Institute Director Kim Jin-sang (김진상), as well as South Korea's Ambassador to Germany Lim Sang-beom, Saarland Deputy Minister-President and Minister Juergen Barke, Saarbruecken Deputy Mayor Barbara Meyer, and Saarland University Vice President Dominique Brodowski.

Also present were South Korean science and technology figures including Kim Young-sik (김영식), chair of the National Science and Technology Council (NST), Kwon Oh-nam (권오남), president of the Korea Federation of Science and Technology Societies, and Lee Seok-rae (이석래), secretary-general of the National Research Foundation of Korea.

At the ceremony, Oh received Saarland's Order of Merit. Deputy Minister-President Barke, on behalf of Saarland's minister-president, awarded the decoration in recognition of the KIST Europe Research Institute's role in Korea-European Union (EU) research cooperation centred on Horizon Europe and KIST headquarters' support.

Marking the 30th anniversary, the KIST Europe Research Institute unveiled a new slogan, 'BRIDGE to YOU', and a vision for the next 30 years.

The institute plans to strengthen its role as a research bridge leading Korea-EU joint research, an innovation gateway supporting South Korean companies' expansion into Europe and technology commercialisation, and an AI platform driving AI-based research innovation, with the aim of advancing into a global research cooperation hub.

Oh said, "Based on research capabilities accumulated over the past 30 years and local networks, we will make a bigger leap as a bridge for global cooperation between South Korea and Europe." He added, "I hope it will become a new bridge connecting the world and the future."

Kim said, "The biggest achievement of the past 30 years is the trust built with diverse partners in South Korea and Europe." He added, "Centred on THE Bridge Center, we will expand international joint research and research on future core technologies and be reborn as the most trusted bridge for research cooperation."