GIST, Jangseong County, and Local High Schools Sign MOU to Foster Creative Talent

(From left) Yang Kiyeol, Principal of Munhyang High School; Hanjong Kim, Jangseong County Governor; Kigul Im, President of GIST; Guo Ban, Vice Principal of Jangseong High School. Provided by GIST

The Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) announced on May 15 that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Jangseong County, Munhyang High School, and Jangseong High School to foster creative and convergent talent and to establish a collaborative system.

The signing ceremony, held on May 14 in the small conference room of the GIST administration building, was attended by GIST President Im Kicheol, Vice President for External Affairs Jung Yonghwa, Director of External Cooperation Kim Jaegwan, Jangseong County Governor Kim Hanjong, Director of Culture and Education Kim Hyunyoung, Munhyang High School Principal Yang Kiyeol, Vice Principal Kim Hyeongmi, Jangseong High School Vice Principal Ban Guo, and Executive Director Lee Changun, along with about ten other officials.

Through this agreement, the institutions aim to develop a joint educational model connecting high schools, local governments, and universities to nurture creative and convergent talent in the region. They also plan to establish an organic collaborative system to ensure the stable operation of these educational programs. In addition, they will work closely together to create an educational environment where talented individuals from Jangseong County can nurture and realize their dreams.

The main points of the agreement include: ▲ developing and operating a joint curriculum focused on career and convergence elective subjects; ▲ jointly developing and running departmental experience events for career exploration; ▲ supporting and utilizing university educational resources (such as facilities and instructors); ▲ supporting special lectures by experts in creative and convergent fields; and ▲ discovering and promoting collaborative educational programs involving both high schools, the local government, and the university. In total, the agreement covers five areas of mutual exchange and cooperation.

Im Kicheol, President of GIST, stated, "The key to fostering the AI industry ultimately lies in nurturing talent. Our role is to ensure that the scientific and technological knowledge and capabilities accumulated by GIST, along with the educational resources of Jangseong County and local high schools, translate into real value for future generations."

Kim Hanjong, Governor of Jangseong County, said, "This agreement serves as an educational model jointly created by the local community, university, and high schools, and will lay a strong foundation for building an ecosystem where talented individuals from Jangseong can grow within the region. Jangseong County will continue to expand cooperation in education and science and technology so that students can freely pursue their dreams."

Yang Kiyeol, Principal of Munhyang High School, commented, "With the active support of GIST and Jangseong County, we expect students will have more opportunities to design their career paths and expand their learning. We hope that this agreement will help students grow into self-directed knowledge seekers with creative thinking and problem-solving skills."

Ban Guo, Vice Principal of Jangseong High School, said, "This collaboration with GIST is expected to play a positive dopamine-like role in stimulating our students' intellectual curiosity. We look forward to developing more creative and enriching educational environments through ongoing program development, and we deeply thank Jangseong County and GIST officials for making this opportunity possible."