UNIST and DGIST brought approximately 600 students together on September 12 for their first joint student festival, combining interuniversity sports with performances and student-led activities across the UNIST campus.

The inaugural 2026 UNIST×DGIST Student Festival drew approximately 400 students from UNIST and 200 from DGIST. Soccer, basketball, badminton, and esports competitions were held alongside club performances, student-run booths, and exchange programs.

UNIST won the soccer match 5–0, while DGIST prevailed 37–24 in basketball and 3–1 in esports. DGIST also won all three badminton matches, including two men's doubles events and one mixed doubles event. Students from both universities filled the stands throughout the day, cheering on their teams.

The program extended beyond athletics. Student clubs from both universities performed on campus, while booths and activities organized by students created additional opportunities for participants to meet and interact.

The festival was planned and organized by the student unions of both universities, with students taking the lead in developing the sports and cultural programs. UNIST and DGIST plan to build on the inaugural event by expanding student exchanges and establishing the festival as a regular fixture between the two institutions.

At the opening ceremony, Seung Geol Lee, Dean of Student Affairs at UNIST, described the event as a first step toward a lasting relationship between the two universities. He encouraged students to look beyond the results of the competitions and use the occasion to build connections through shared experiences.

“Organizing the event for the first time brought plenty of challenges, but seeing UNIST and DGIST students compete, cheer, and come together made it all worthwhile,” said MinSeo Kim, Director of External Relations for the UNIST Undergraduate Student Union.

HwanKyo Jung, Chair of the Emergency Committee of the UNIST Undergraduate Student Union, said the lack of a previous model meant organizers had to build the event from the ground up. He thanked the student representatives from both universities who contributed to the preparations and said hosting the inaugural event at UNIST made the occasion particularly meaningful.