Kyungnam University Marks 80th Anniversary, Shaping the Future of Regional Universities Through AI Innovation

80 Years of Accumulation Since Its Founding in 1946

Now Emerging as a Hub for the "AI Transformation" Era

Kyungnam University, which has played a pivotal role in nurturing local talent throughout the course of modern Korean history, is celebrating its 80th anniversary.

Since its establishment in 1946, Kyungnam University has grown by building on its accumulated educational capabilities. In recent years, the university has rapidly established itself as an innovative institution leading the "AI transformation era" by restructuring education, research, and industry-academic cooperation around artificial intelligence (AI). Notably, Kyungnam University is drawing attention for its efforts to catalyze not only education but also industrial transformation, through AI education and research strategies tailored to the region's manufacturing-based industrial structure.

Gyeongnam National University campus view. [Photo by Gyeongnam National University]

◆ Establishment of AI education system for all students ... Structural shift in the educational paradigm

The starting point of Kyungnam University's innovation lies in a fundamental shift in its educational system. The university has designated AI and software not as skills confined to specific majors, but as essential competencies for all students. To this end, Kyungnam University was the first in Gyeongnam and Ulsan to be selected in 2023 for the "Software-Centered University Project" in the general track by the Ministry of Science and ICT. Since then, it has operated basic software education as a required liberal arts course and has completely revamped its curriculum to focus on coding, data analysis, and understanding of AI. This is seen as a move to shift the focus of university education from a "major-centered" system to a "competency-centered" one.

In addition, the university offers a pre-enrollment software education program for incoming freshmen, providing education in "computational thinking" and "programming fundamentals." This proactive educational approach helps students adapt to a digitally based learning environment from the moment they enter university and strengthens the integration with major studies. In particular, the curriculum is designed so that even non-majors can develop competencies in utilizing AI and data, making AI a "common language" rather than a specialized technology—a standout educational strategy.

The structure of education is also closely connected to industry. Centered on the College of AI and Software Convergence, the university has organically integrated future industry-focused departments such as the Department of Artificial Intelligence, the Department of Computer Engineering, the Department of Electronics and Software Engineering, the Department of Future Automotive Engineering, and the Department of Game Studies, solidifying its position as the largest hub for software education in Gyeongsangnam-do. In addition, Kyungnam University operates convergent education programs linked to key regional industries such as smart manufacturing, mobility, and digital content.

◆ 16.5 billion won AI project and partnership with 40 institutions ... Advancing as a university centered on "Physical AI"

Kyungnam University is swiftly building a structure that links education, research, and industry. In 2026, the university will implement the "AI Innovation Talent Cultivation Project" with a total budget of 16.5 billion won, simultaneously nurturing high-level talent based on physical AI and conducting research for industry application. This strategy expands AI from being merely a software technology to "physical AI," which is integrated with real equipment, facilities, and manufacturing systems, demonstrating strong alignment with the region's manufacturing industry.

This project aims to solve real industrial problems through AI research based on manufacturing data, digital twin technology, and smart process optimization. To this end, the university is expanding its AI and Software Convergence Graduate School and establishing a new AX Graduate School. Notably, by operating master's and doctoral programs for currently employed individuals, Kyungnam University is building a cyclical talent cultivation model that brings technical personnel from the field back into academia.

The university's research infrastructure is also advancing rapidly. Centered on the Global Joint Research Center for Hyper-Scale Manufacturing AI, Kyungnam University has established an education and research system that combines AI research environments based on manufacturing data with digital twin-based virtual experiment environments, enabling students to undertake projects using real industrial data.

In March 2026, Kyungnam University signed an agreement with 40 institutions, including the National Assembly, government-funded research institutes, and corporations, to foster the "Physical AI Industry and AX Innovation Talent." This large-scale industry-academia-research cooperation system includes concrete implementation tasks such as building a manufacturing AI data center, jointly utilizing AI computing infrastructure, jointly promoting talent cultivation projects, and developing AI-based industrial innovation models. These efforts demonstrate the university's role as a central platform in the industrial ecosystem.

Furthermore, with Gyeongsangnam-do being selected in 2026 for the government's "AI Innovation Academy Regional Expansion" project, the university will establish the program under the name "Gyeongnam Codyssey Campus" this year in its 5th Engineering Building. This is expected to serve as a key hub for nurturing AI and software talent in the southeastern region. The curriculum will be operated primarily through project-based learning (PBL) and self-directed learning, aiming not only to cultivate AI and software specialists but also to train practical AX professionals who can be immediately deployed in the industrial field.

◆ 64 billion won RISE project over five years ... Building an "innovation platform" connecting region and industry

Through the "Regional Innovation-Led University Support System (RISE)" project, Kyungnam University is expanding the role of local universities beyond educational institutions to become core hubs of regional innovation.

President Jaekyu Park of Gyeongnam National University is communicating with students. [Photo by Gyeongnam National University]

Kyungnam University is currently undertaking a total of 16 projects within the RISE initiative, a scale significant even for a single university, laying the foundation for integrated education, research, and industry-academic cooperation. The RISE project is particularly noteworthy for having a structure that directly connects universities and local industries, driven by local governments, unlike traditional financial support projects. Based on this, Kyungnam University is simultaneously pursuing talent cultivation reflecting local industry demand, corporate-linked education, and support for technological innovation, thereby building a virtuous cycle model in which the university and region grow together.

Major initiatives include: ▲ Advancing the AI and software-based talent cultivation system ▲ Operating curricula linked to key regional industries ▲ Expanding industry-academic cooperation projects ▲ Fostering talent that will remain and contribute to the local community. In particular, through educational programs linked to Gyeongnam’s core industries such as manufacturing, defense, and mobility, the university is focusing on cultivating practical talent that can be immediately deployed in the industrial field after graduation.

Through the RISE project, Kyungnam University is focused on narrowing the gap between university education and corporate needs. By jointly designing curricula with companies and expanding field-centered projects and internships, students are able to accumulate experience in solving real industrial problems while still in school. This not only strengthens their employment competitiveness but also directly contributes to alleviating manpower shortages in the local industry.

Additionally, through cooperation with local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-sized firms, the university is promoting technology transfer, joint research, and customized talent development, further establishing itself as a practical partner in regional industrial innovation. At the same time, Kyungnam University is closely linking the RISE project with its AI strategy. By integrating its AI and software education system with industry-academic cooperation programs, the university is expanding the project's scope from simply supplying manpower to nurturing key talent who will lead AI-driven industrial transformation.

◆ "80 years of accumulation, 100 years of leap forward" ... A university designing the future

As Kyungnam University marks its 80th anniversary, it is entering a new phase—one in which it designs the future based on past achievements. The wave of change, encompassing AI-based educational innovation, major national projects, expanded industry-academic-research cooperation, and the strengthening of global education, ultimately converges on one fundamental value: "education that nurtures people."

While Kyungnam University places AI technology at the center of its education, its purpose does not lie in technology itself. The university's educational focus is on nurturing "people" who, with the ability to understand and utilize AI, can solve problems and create social value. To this end, Kyungnam University has structured its education so that students grow by thinking and exploring independently, integrating their major fields with technology, and gaining experience connected to industry.

In this process, students go beyond simply acquiring knowledge to become proactive agents able to adapt to change and create new value. This system, in which education, research, and industry-academic cooperation are organically connected, expands the university's role beyond that of a traditional educational institution to a platform driving industrial and social transformation. Building on 80 years of accumulated experience, Kyungnam University is now moving toward its next 100 years.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.