Chung-Ang University, Chiang Mai University Successfully Complete Global Joint Hackathon

Chung-Ang University's College of Virtual Convergence and the Immersive Media Innovation Convergence Project Group successfully hosted the '2026 CAUXCMU Joint Hackathon' at Chiang Mai University in Thailand from August 4-7. The event brought together students from both institutions for an international collaborative program.

The hackathon's core objective was for students to form multinational teams and jointly plan and develop digital services to tackle diverse global and regional challenges. Ten students from each university participated, forming mixed-nationality teams that engaged in intensive project work over four days. Key themes included addressing local challenges, promoting sustainability, and developing culture-based services.

Participants were tasked with identifying societal issues, conceptualizing app and digital service solutions, and developing minimum viable products (MVPs) that considered user experience (UX/UI), technical feasibility, and marketability. The program operated as a global project-based learning initiative, guiding students through idea generation, service planning, prototype development, and final presentations, with mentorship from faculty and experts from both universities.

"The process itself, where students from Chung-Ang University and Chiang Mai University define problems and create solutions together, is the core value of global education," stated Wi Jeong-hyeon, Dean of Chung-Ang University's College of Virtual Convergence. "Through this hackathon, we will further expand educational and research cooperation between the two universities and continue to promote international joint projects that allow students to challenge themselves on a global stage."

The event emphasized the development of communication and problem-solving skills through international collaboration, using English as the common language. The best projects from the hackathon are slated for further support through global startup programs, including follow-up mentoring and business model development, aiming to build a sustainable industry-academia cooperation model from education to startup.

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The process itself, where students from Chung-Ang University and Chiang Mai University define problems and create solutions together, is the core value of global education. Through this hackathon, we will further expand educational and research cooperation between the two universities and continue to promote international joint projects that allow students to challenge themselves on a global stage.