POSCO FUTURE M

- MOU signed with Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) on the 19th for the master’s and doctoral e-Battery Track program

- Hong Young-jun, Head of Technology Research Center: “We will foster global materials technology leaders through collaboration with GIST, a research-oriented university with world-class capabilities”

- Eight outstanding talents have been hired since establishing ‘e-Battery Track’ partnerships with prestigious domestic universities in 2022... Advancing new technology R&D and portfolio diversification

POSCO Future M is expanding its industry-academic collaboration to nurture talent in battery materials and secure technological leadership.

On the 19th, POSCO Future M signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding for Cultivating Specialized Secondary Battery Materials Research Personnel’ with Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST). The signing ceremony, held at GIST’s Gwangju campus, was attended by POSCO Future M’s Technology Research Center Head Hong Young-jun, GIST President Lim Gi-Cheol, and representatives from both organizations.

Under this agreement, POSCO Future M plans to operate the battery materials master’s and doctoral ‘e-Battery Track’ program at GIST starting in the second half of this year. POSCO Future M will provide tuition and scholarships throughout the degree program and hire graduates as research and technical personnel. Students will enhance their capabilities through internship programs and hands-on education at key business sites during their studies.

GIST is a specialized research-oriented university with demonstrated world-class research capabilities, ranking 4th globally in citations per faculty in the “2025 QS World University Rankings” (with Harvard University ranking 1st) and 1st among Korean universities for 17 consecutive years.

*QS World University Rankings: Annually published by the UK evaluation agency QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) and considered to provide the most credible information worldwide

Hong Young-jun, Head of POSCO Future M’s Technology Research Center, stated, “I am very pleased to collaborate with GIST, which is evolving into a world-class research-oriented university,” adding, “We will do our best to cultivate global materials technology leaders who contribute to humanity’s well-being.”

GIST President Lim Gi-Cheol stated, “Through close collaboration with POSCO Future M, we will accelerate the development of core talent in the secondary battery materials field,” adding, “By systematically nurturing practical talent required by industry, we expect to contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of the future battery industry at both regional and national levels.”

POSCO Future M has been accelerating its efforts to secure technological leadership through talent development and recruitment by establishing industry-academic cooperation systems with prestigious domestic universities since 2022, starting with POSTECH and including Yonsei University, Korea University, Sungkyunkwan University, Hanyang University, Chonnam National University, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), and Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST). Since the first e-Battery Track program agreement, eight outstanding talents have joined the company and are conducting cathode and anode material technology research and development.

Meanwhile, bolstered by this enhanced research capability, POSCO Future M is preparing to target the market through new battery material technology development and portfolio diversification to overcome the electric vehicle chasm. These efforts include ultra-high nickel (Ultra Hi-Ni) single crystal cathode materials with over 95% nickel content to increase electric vehicle range and stability, lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode materials, lithium manganese-rich (LMR) cathode materials to lead electric vehicle popularization, and low-expansion natural graphite anode materials and silicon anode materials that can significantly reduce battery charging time and increase storage capacity.