Ulsan National University Selected for 'Glocal University 30' ... 100 Billion KRW Support Over 5 Years

Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has been finally designated as one of the ‘2023 Glocal University 30’.

Ulsan City announced that the Ministry of Education selected 10 universities, including Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, among 30 non-metropolitan universities for the ‘Glocal University 30’ project, which will provide focused support until 2026.

The Glocal University project is a government initiative to select universities that break down internal and external barriers and lead mutual growth between universities and regions based on partnerships with local communities and industries. It will provide 100 billion KRW over the next five years, selecting 10 universities this year and a total of 30 universities by 2026.

The main selection criteria included the connection with local governments and regional strategic industries, feasibility of innovation plans, and track record related to the projects.

Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, designated as a Glocal University 30, will receive benefits such as ▲approximately 100 billion KRW in national funding over five years ▲priority application of regulatory exemptions for universities ▲designation as a specialized local university under the ‘Local University Promotion Act’ and expanded support from multiple ministries and local governments.

The university’s Glocal University implementation plan includes tasks such as ▲restructuring into an open and innovative convergence university system ▲removing university barriers through enrollment adjustments and cooperative education with regional universities ▲establishing a joint graduate school for future new industries with Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) ▲creating a time- and space-transcending campus called UbiCam ▲building a Glocal foreign education support system ▲developing a corporate support complex ▲and establishing a future medical campus innovation park.

Ulsan City Hall.

In July, Ulsan City established a dedicated department called the ‘Future Education Innovation Team’ to designate Glocal Universities and build a regional innovation-centered university support system.

Since then, a regional cooperation promotion system involving 24 organizations, including the city, universities, industries, and innovation institutions, has been established, consolidating local community capabilities through joint agreements and declarations.

In September, an administrative support task force (TF) led by the Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs was formed to provide administrative and institutional support for the Glocal University project. The city plans to focus administrative capabilities on nurturing regionally tailored talent and encouraging youth to remain in the region through employment and entrepreneurship.

Mayor Kim Doo-gyeom said, “At a time when Ulsan, an industrial city, is making a leap forward with large-scale investments in the automobile, shipbuilding, and chemical sectors and the designation of a secondary battery specialized complex, the designation of Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology as a Glocal University 30 is expected to create a new turning point for regional coexistence where Ulsan City, universities, and industries develop together.”

President Oh Yeon-cheon of Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology said, “This Glocal University selection is the result of consolidating the capabilities of Ulsan City and the local community and the university members’ consensus on a major academic restructuring. With this designation, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology will be reborn as a community university realizing Ulsan’s global value.”