Seoul National University's engineering department has lectures with a history and tradition comparable to the representative classes of the world's top universities such as MIT and Stanford. This is the so-called Changgong class, which marks its 30th anniversary this year.

Changgong is a ‘killer content’ of Seoul National University’s College of Engineering in which first-year students create their own robots using limited engineering knowledge and materials and compete in a competition called ‘Robocon’. It was first introduced by the late Professor Jong-nam Joo with the goal of nurturing true engineers through the experience of actually applying theories and collaborating and competing with friends. Professor Joo said that he planned this class with a critical mind that “we need to get out of Korea’s chronic injection-style education.” Over the past 30 years, Changgong has educated about 4,500 engineering students at Seoul National University, playing the role of ‘deep reserve’ of the talented in the field of science and engineering in Korea. The symbol of this class, ‘Robocon’, has become a tradition of the College of Engineering at Seoul National University.



In 2001, KBS broadcast a live robot competition of Seoul National University freshman students nationwide. About 200 first-year students who took the ‘Creative Engineering Design’ (Changgong) class made their own robots to carry out the imaginary mission of ‘saving the earth from the energy war’ and competed in front of viewers across the country. The students who won the prize in this competition had the opportunity to compete the world stage by attending the International RoboCon held at MIT, USA, along with their advisor, the late Professor Jong-Nam Joo. Ayoung Kim, a student who participated in the International RoboCon at the time and later received a PhD in robotics, returned to her alma mater two years ago when she was appointed as the first female professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Seoul National University.

“Looking back, the Changgong class was an opportunity for me to become a robot engineer. I spent all night with my friends working hard to build a robot, and after finishing it, I felt like a real engineer.” This is a review of Professor Ayoung Kim’s ‘Changgong’ course after 20 years. Kyujin Cho, a professor at Seoul National University who is currently in charge of the class, said, “I was a student of the first Changgong ('Creative Engineering Design') class 30 years ago, and now I am a professor in charge.” I was able to become and become who I am today.”

On November 25, ahead of the end of this year, Seoul National University's Haedong Idea Factory held a ceremony celebrating the 30th anniversary of 'Creative Engineering Design', a robot making project class for freshmen in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Dean Yu-seok Hong of Seoul National University of Technology, who gave a congratulatory speech, said, "30 years ago, almost all classes at Seoul Institute of Technology were reading books and solving problems, but in such a situation, Professor Jong-nam Joo caused a great stir in engineering education in Korea with a class called Changgong".

At the 30th anniversary RoboCon, which was held again site after two years, 135 students of the 22nd class of the Department of Mechanical Engineering made various robots and competed fiercely while carrying out the mission to ‘save the professor from the flooded campus’. The final match between Team Zero and Emergency Rescue Team. <Photo courtesy of Seoul National University>

Mid-level engineers who had held RoboCon (robot competition) at the end of the semester as students or teaching assistants 30 years ago visited their alma mater that day and remembered their teacher, the late Professor Jong-nam Joo, saying, “It was a class that turned a high school student who wasly good at studying into a real engineering student.”

Sung-Hoon Ahn, chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Seoul National University, said, "As the era of the 4th industrial revolution progresses, 'project classes' are expanding, and even before that word became popular, classes appropriate for the 4th industrial era were being taught." A lot of it is not a coincidence.”

Looking at the faces of the engineers produced by the class, Professor Sung-Hoon Ahn's words are by no means an exaggeration. Leaders who are active in the corporate field and academia after taking the Changgong class said in unison, “It was fortunate that I met a class that could change my life during my undergraduate days.”

“The class that helped me the most in solving problems in the business field” (Il-gyu Heo, Vice President of SK Supex Council), “The class that had the greatest impact the way I teach” (Professor Seong-Han Kim, Sejong University), “The class that made me enter the Path of a Robot Engineer” (Professor Ayoung Kim, Seoul National University) gave their impressions. Professor Harry West of Columbia University (then a professor at the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering), who shared the birth of Changgong 30 years ago, and Professor Kim Sang-bae, who is currently in charge of the “Design and Manufacturing” class at MIT, also sent congratulatory messages.

Professor Harry West (left), who taught the MIT 2.007 class benchmarked by Seoul National University 30 years ago, and Professor Kim Sang-bae, who is currently in charge it, sent a thank-you message to Seoul National University, saying, “Congratulations the 30 years of great teaching.” <Photo courtesy of Seoul National University>

Paradoxically, the management explained thate class was able to last for 30 years because they did not insist the same method. Professor Joo Jong-nam explained in an interview, “After each semester class, I feel regretful that I would have done better, so I try to change it in the next class.” It is explained that the teaching method has also constantly changed while technology and generations have changed, so it has become a tradition beyonde class.

The class provided an opportunity to goe step further through the two-year pandemic. In a situation where students could not gather and the practice room was closed, they gave out robot kits that they made by themselves and boldly switched to a class in which robots were made usingly physics principles without high-tech equipment. Professor Kyu-Jin Cho, who was in charge of the class, said “As the tools were limited, students showed more ingenious ideas.”

In this year's Changgong class, robots made with new technologies and materials that were not seen before appeared. At the 30th anniversary RoboCon, which was held again site after two years, 135 students of the 22nd class of the Department of Mechanical Engineering made various robots and competed fiercely while carrying out the mission to ‘save the professor from the flooded campus’. On this day, Team Zero (‘properly made robot’), which had outstanding robot design ideas, won the championship. Student Soo-Bin Lee, a member of the winning team, expressed her feelings, saying, “I stayed up all night and had a hard time for the competition, but now I feel like I have become a real engineer.”

The 30th anniversary of creative engineering design was held at Seoul National University's Haedong Idea Factory last November. The winning team is taking a commemorative photo with the professor and special judges. <Photo courtesy of Seoul National University>

A letter of appreciation delivered by the head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Seoul National University to the representative of the bereaved family of the late professor Joo Jong-nam, who created the Changgong class. <Photo courtesy of Seoul National University>

It is evaluated that Changgong, in which a virtuous cycle of generations has been achieved over the course of 30 years, is creating a model for a virtuous cycle of donations to universities. This is thanks to the relay donations of professors and seniors who have continued for several years.

This year, Professor Kyujin Cho, who is in charge of the class, donated 10 million won from the Seoul National University Academic Research Award to the class. Graduate Heo Il-kyu, who served as a teaching assistant for the first class of Changgong, donated tablet computer to his juniors. Sang-ok Seok, CEO of Naver Labs, participated in the donation, recalling, “In 1994, Changgong was so popular that I had to participate in a lottery to take the course, but failing that lottery was a lifelong regret.” Dong-jin Hyun, head of the lab, who leads Hyundai Motors Robotics Lab, recalled, “I was unfortunately ranked 4th at RoboCon at the time,” and added his name to the donor. In addition, it is rumored that many anonymous alumni who did not want their names to be known participated in donations.

Prof. Howon Lee, who has been in charge of Changgong for the second year, said, “Among the students who competed today, there will definitely be students who teach Changgong and support it.” From 2023, Seoul National University plans to drastically reorganize Changgong classes and expand subjects such as adding a software curriculum for robotics.




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