The number of niche learning spaces, highly acclaimed among Pusan National University (PNU) students, will increase this year. 

According to the PNU Office of Student Affairs on September 1st, the fourth “Niche Learning Space Creation Project” will be held from next month. The niche learning space is a place where students can freely use vacant in class time by utilizing the old space and the spare space in the college. A total of 225 million won will be invested in this project, which will be held as part of the national university fostering project until February of the following year.

This year's project will provide a niche learning space in 21 rooms in 12 buildings. The Busan Campus will create new spaces on the 1st floor of the Humanities Building, the 4th∙5th floors of the College of Human Ecology Laboratory Building and Human Ecology Building, room 106 of the Physics Building, 1st floor of the Chemistry Building, 2nd∙3rd floors and room 308∙309 of Pharmaceutical Research Building, 1st∙2nd∙5th floors of 2nd Engineering Building, 2nd∙3rd floors of the 11th Engineering Building, Student Council Room of the Arts Building, 7th floor of Hyowon Hall (NC Department Store), and the seminar room of Samsung Industry-University Cooperation Building.

The Miryang Campus will create new spaces on the College of Information and Biomedical Engineering Kyung-am Engineering Building (tentative name), and the 1st floor of the NanoScience and Technology Building. The Yangsan Campus will create new spaces on the 4th floor of the Korean medical school, the 2nd floor of medical school, and the 1st floor of dental school. The Office of Student Affairs said, “The Niche Learning Space Creation Project is an annual project that is selected by scoring according to the criteria prepared by the school organization.” 

The Office of Student Affairs has significantly increased the space for the project due to favorable reviews from students. Increasing space in 12 buildings this year is twice as big as the third project that provided space in six places last year. The niche learning space is built as an open discussion and group space out of the existing classroom form, resulting in good evaluation of students.  The Office of Student Affairs niche learning space manager said, “We created learning spaces in 13 places in the first and second projects and six places in the third project. We will try to respond positively to students and plan to expand the learning space in 12 places in the fourth project.”

Students are also positive about the project to expand niche learning spaces to be carried out this year. Student A (Dept. of Business Administration, 22) said, “If the learning space is increased, I can take a break in the niche learning space by using the iffy spare time. It will be useful because I can secure a learning space during the test period.” 

Meanwhile, PNU is currently operating a total of 19 spaces in 16 buildings through the 1st to 3rd niche learning space expansion project.

Reporter Yoon Seo-Young

Translated by Lim Chae-Kyung