The Ministry of Science and ICT has announced the 2026 AI-Focused University Project, planning to select 10 new universities that will receive up to 24 billion KRW over a maximum of 8 years. This initiative aims to rapidly establish and strengthen AI education systems within universities by leveraging existing software education infrastructure to meet the surging demand for AI talent in the era of artificial intelligence. The project targets not only the development and implementation of core AI experts but also the systematic training of AX convergence talents who can integrate and utilize AI technologies across various disciplines. On December 30, 2025, Vice Prime Minister and Minister Lee Kyung-hoon emphasized the importance of nurturing AI talent at the ‘Independent AI Foundation Model’ project presentation held at COEX.
Starting with 10 universities this year, the project will expand to 30 universities by 2030. Selected universities will receive up to 3+3+2 years of support, totaling 24 billion KRW (3 billion KRW per year). The project specifically targets general four-year universities, excluding the nine regional AI hub national universities and the four major science and technology institutes, to prevent overlapping investments. The AI-Focused University Project will pursue four core tasks: innovation of AI education systems and institutional improvement, operation of specialized AI curricula, support for industrial AX transformation and entrepreneurship, and strengthening the role of AI value dissemination.
The specialized AI curriculum will provide basic and applied AI education to all students, regardless of their major, ensuring that everyone acquires fundamental AI literacy. New ‘bridge courses’ will be developed and introduced to help students from humanities, social sciences, medicine, and other fields build AI convergence capabilities. University-industry cooperation models will be established to promote employment-linked programs, long-term internships, and industry-academia projects. Joint university-industry committees will regularly discuss and improve educational collaboration, while industry-customized curricula and problem-solving projects will be implemented. Student-led creative projects, mentoring, practical training environments, and financial support will encourage entrepreneurship, and participation in external AI competitions will be actively supported.
Universities will open their excellent human and material resources to local communities, serving as key hubs for spreading AI value. Customized programs such as AI camps for elementary and secondary students, technical seminars for workers, and AI volunteer groups for the underprivileged will enhance AI literacy nationwide. High-quality lecture content developed by universities will be made freely available through the integrated online platform ‘Our AI Learning,’ expanding the reach of AI education across the country. Collaboration with software-focused universities and joint hackathons will further elevate the overall AI education capabilities of Korean universities. The project briefing session will be held on June 29 at Seoul Post Tower, with detailed information available on the Ministry of Science and ICT and IITP websites.
This AI-Focused University Project goes beyond simple talent development by emphasizing the practical connection between university education systems and industry needs. The systematic training of AX talents who can integrate AI into various fields, the creation of a startup ecosystem, and the dissemination of AI value to local communities are expected to significantly enhance Korea’s AI competitiveness. Nationwide expansion of AI education and industry-driven curriculum innovation mark a pivotal shift in the future talent landscape.