Kwangwoon University to Host the Global “Robofest World Championship 2027”
- First time in the competition’s 28-year history to be held outside the United States...
Event to take place in Seoul in May 2027
- Kwangwoon University to strengthen global youth exchange in robotics as a leading institution in AI and robotics
Kwangwoon University, led by President Yoon Do-young, has officially secured the hosting rights for the prestigious international youth robotics competition, the “Robofest World Championship 2027,” to be held in Seoul. This marks the first time since the competition’s establishment in 1999 that the event will take place outside the United States. The championship is scheduled to be held at Kwangwoon University in Seoul in May 2027.
(Top) [From left: Seok-jae Jeong, Vice President for External Affairs at Kwangwoon Univ.,
and Patrick Nelson, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at LTU]
(Bottom) Representatives from Kwangwoon Univ. and Lawrence Technological University (LTU) pose for a commemorative photo.
The hosting agreement was officially confirmed through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed on Wednesday, May 13, at Lawrence Technological University (LTU) in Michigan, USA. The signing ceremony was attended by Patrick Nelson, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at LTU; Chris Cartwright, Professor of Mathematics and Executive Director of Robofest; other members of the Robofest organizing committee; Jeong Seok-jae, Vice President for External Affairs at Kwangwoon University; Professor Park Soo-han from the Department of Robotics; and Oh Sang-hoon, CEO of Luxrobo and an alumnus of Kwangwoon University’s Robotics Department.
Founded in 1999, Robofest is an international autonomous robotics competition open to students ranging from third-grade elementary school students to university students. Participants are required to design, build, and program robots capable of completing missions without human intervention or remote control. The competition evaluates creativity, problem-solving skills, and engineering thinking. More than 40 countries participate in the event through national preliminary rounds, making Robofest one of the world’s oldest and most respected robotics competitions for youth.
Seok-jae Jeong, Vice President for External Affairs, conducts the flag handover ceremony
Jeong Seok-jae, Vice President for External Affairs at Kwangwoon University, stated, “We are deeply honored to host the 2027 Robofest World Championship in Seoul, which will be the first event held outside the United States. As a leading university in robotics and AI, we will warmly welcome talented students from around the world and create a meaningful platform that inspires the next generation of innovators.”
Patrick Nelson, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at LTU, commented, “We are delighted to host the World Championship together with such an outstanding partner as Kwangwoon University. We hope the event in Seoul will further expand global youth interest and participation in science and technology while promoting the values of international exchange and collaboration.”
A scene from the 'Robofest World Championship 2026.'
Kwangwoon University has continuously expanded its global educational cooperation and talent development programs in advanced industries, particularly in AI, robotics, and semiconductors. Through hosting the Robofest World Championship, the university plans to further strengthen its role as a global hub for youth robotics education and international exchange.
