Returning to school for the new semester, Postechians might notice that many parts of the campus have undergone significant changes and developments. It reflects the considerable efforts of various administrative departments. One key initiative is the POSTECH Smart Campus Enhancement Project, which has been planned since the first semester of this year and saw substantial progress over the vacation.
The POSTECH Smart Campus Enhancement Project aims to improve the efficiency and convenience of campus access, replacing outdated equipment with the latest IT trends. The project has been implemented in three main areas: the mobile ID and access control system, the electronic attendance system, and the technical research personnel attendance management system. The General Affairs, the Educational Affairs, and the Student Affairs have been responsible for each system. The project is sponsored by Woori Bank.
The most significant impact of the project is the wider range of ways to access buildings on the campus. Previously, only an ID card or Android-exclusive mobile transportation card could open campus buildings. However, from now, with the mobile app “POSTECH ID,” people can access almost all buildings on campus, without needing a physical student ID card. It will resolve the inconvenience of requiring a student ID card to enter buildings. By tagging their smartphone at the building entrance terminal, the system will recognize the app and allow entry. During the vacation, access terminals were replaced with new ones, and the system upgrade was completed with firmware updates for the old terminals.
On the other hand, some users have experienced a decrease in the accuracy and speed of mobile app recognition with the new access terminals. The General Affairs team explained that the recognition speed has slowed slightly due to the application of security authentication, and they are working to improve it through system inspection and stabilization. In addition, POSTECH mobile ID combined with Samsung Pay will be applied by September. Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (PAL), Graduate Institute of Ferrous & Eco Materials Technology (GIFT), and National Institute for Nanomaterials Technology (NINT) will maintain their existing access methods, and the access terminals will be replaced in the future.
Additionally, the electronic attendance system and the technical research personnel attendance management system have been upgraded. The electronic attendance system now offers more diverse methods for attendance verification, allowing students to use either an ID card or a mobile ID. A new authentication method using a QR code has also been added. Many errors have been corrected, and the system’s stability has been enhanced. A web-based system for the attendance management of technical research personnel has been established. The new system will support flexible working, duty record reporting, and certificate issuance.
With these new systems, all Postechians will enjoy a more convenient campus life.
