By Kim Bo-eun

To cultivate global leaders, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) opened an information technology laboratory at its campus in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, Monday.

The facility is called the POSTECH Future IT Innovation Laboratory (i-Lab).

In collaboration with the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, the i-Lab aims to produce researchers who will become leaders in the field of global information technology.

The central government, provincial and municipal authorities, POSTECH, the Korea campus of the State University of New York, and several companies have pledged to invest 168 billion won in the laboratory by 2020 for education and modern infrastructure.

The i-Lab will focus on seven areas such as computing, intelligent robots, smart vehicles, and the integration of information technology and nano-technology.

It has already recruited 20 undergraduate and 18 graduate students.