Four Universities in Gyeongnam Province Compete for Glocal University Designation ... Submit Innovation Plans

On the 26th, the preliminary designated Glocal Universities in Gyeongnam Province for 2024?Changwon National University, Inje University, Kyungnam University, and Yeungnam Institute of Technology?submitted their official designation applications to the Ministry of Education.

The Ministry of Education plans to conduct the final designation evaluation in August and officially designate around 10 Glocal Universities by the end of the same month.

Gyeongnam Province will focus on supporting the implementation of the innovation plans established by the preliminary designated Glocal Universities in the province, as well as fostering local talents who will settle in the region and nurturing talents for local specialized industries.

In cooperation with the cities and counties where each university is located?Changwon, Jinju, Gimhae, Namhae, and others?a total of 400.6 billion KRW in local government funding is also planned to be provided.

Additionally, a support system centered around Glocal Universities will be established, and a consultative body will be operated.

Furthermore, the province will work on: ▲ establishing administrative and financial support for Glocal Universities through amendments to provincial ordinances ▲ regulatory reforms and institutional improvements related to Glocal University innovation projects ▲ building a performance management system to achieve and disseminate the performance goals of Glocal Universities.

Gyeongnam Provincial Government.
Photo by Lee Seryeong

Each university has established its own Glocal University strategy and presented its innovation projects in the official designation application (implementation plan).

Changwon National University has set its vision as "A research-centered university for the next 50 years of Changwon National Industrial Complex in K-Defense, Nuclear Power, and Smart Manufacturing," and will pursue 8 major projects and 21 detailed tasks.

The university plans to build a world-class education and research foundation to nurture outstanding talents tailored to the region's key industries?defense, nuclear power, autonomous smart manufacturing, data, networks, and artificial intelligence.

Through these efforts, the university aims to supply 1,000 talents in the DNA+ fields (derived from the initials of the region's core industries) by 2028, achieve a top 20 QS Asia ranking in specialized fields, reach a 60% local talent retention rate, and a 55% satisfaction rate for youth settlement in the region.

Inje University, with the vision "A university responsible for the city, a city responsible for the university," aims to further develop last year's "All-City Campus" initiative and pursue a major urban transformation encompassing education, industry, and the local community through 4 major projects and 15 detailed tasks.

The university plans to secure a ratio of at least two-thirds local students among freshmen, improve the local employment rate of graduates to over one-third, establish 100 field campuses, have international students comprise at least 15% of the total student body, achieve 3,000 citizen participants in programs, and increase residents' life satisfaction by more than 10.1%.

Kyungnam University, under the vision of "Digital Transformation of Changwon National Industrial Complex for Changwon's New Leap Forward," will implement 4 innovation directions and 9 major projects to foster digital talents and support companies for the digital transformation of the national industrial complex, aiming to become a university that integrates local industry, academia, and research.

By 2028, the university aims to nurture 10,000 digital convergence talents, 500 digital innovation R&D talents, establish 24 overseas Glocal expansion campuses, attract 2,100 international students, achieve a 75% employment rate for enrolled students, and attain a 70% local talent retention rate.

Yeungnam Institute of Technology and Ulsan College, considering the absolute dominance of manufacturing in the southeastern region and the fact that over 50% of engineering students in the region are enrolled at these institutions, have formed a joint engineering college with a total admission quota of 1,349 and are challenging for Glocal University official designation.

The two universities have set the vision of "Glocal Joint Engineering College (GLIT) United in the Southeastern Industrial Belt" and will pursue 9 major projects and 21 detailed tasks to foster practical mid-level production technology talents for the manufacturing belt through the establishment of a joint engineering college that promotes co-prosperity among local industry, academia, and research.

Their goals include nurturing over 10,000 practical mid-level talents for the southeastern manufacturing belt, increasing the local employment rate of joint college students by 5% annually, and ensuring the participation of at least 5 universities in the Glocal Joint Engineering College platform.

Governor Park Wansu stated, "A bold university innovation plan has been prepared for a great leap forward to become a world-class university, with close cooperation among Gyeongnam Province, cities and counties, universities, and local industries," adding, "Gyeongnam Province will actively provide administrative, financial, and institutional support to ensure that the province's universities can achieve final designation."