Gwangju City and 17 Local Universities Join Hands for Successful "RISE" Project Implementation

Cooperation for Regional Innovation and Customized Talent Development
62 Projects Launched with 74.9 Billion Won Investment
Synergy Expected in Innovation Ecosystem and University-Industry Collaboration

Kang Kijeong, mayor of Gwangju, is delivering a greeting at the "Gwangju RISE Project Agreement Ceremony" held in the city hall's medium conference room on the afternoon of the 27th. Provided by Gwangju City

The city of Gwangju has joined hands with 17 local universities to ensure the successful implementation of the "Regional Innovation-led University Support System (RISE) Project."

On the afternoon of May 27, Gwangju City held the "Gwangju City-17 Local Universities RISE Project Agreement Ceremony" in the medium conference room at city hall. This agreement was arranged for the city and the 17 local universities, which were selected as participating institutions through this year's Gwangju RISE project competition, to share their visions for regional innovation and talent cultivation, and to pledge mutual cooperation for the successful implementation of the project.

Under the agreement, the city and the 17 local universities will closely cooperate in the following areas: establishing a leading model for RISE and successfully implementing the project, generating and managing outcomes, and discovering and disseminating best practices.

The Gwangju RISE Project aims to foster region-specific talent and create community value by building an innovative ecosystem that encompasses education, industry, culture, welfare, and settlement, under the vision of "Region and University Growing Together (UP), Gwangju as a City of Educational Innovation Opportunities."

Earlier, between February and April, the city invited local universities to participate in four major projects. The four projects are: Talent Skill Up (SKILL UP), Enterprise Value Up (VALUE UP), Community Grow Up (GROW UP), and University Inno Up (INNO UP). Seventeen local universities are participating in these projects, carrying out a total of 62 tasks, with a total project budget of 74.91 billion won.

Following the agreement ceremony, Gwangju City held the "3rd RISE Committee of 2025," deliberating and deciding on four agenda items: standards for project budget execution, the application of project agreement periods, participation of dedicated agencies in the project, and changes to performance indicators for individual tasks.

Additionally, regarding the plan to conduct an additional competition for the cultural arts and tourism city activation project, which was approved at the "2nd RISE Committee," the city plans to announce the project within this month and select three consortia and universities to implement the project, with a total budget of 2.4 billion won.

Mayor Kang Kijeong stated, "The Gwangju RISE project is a core initiative for completing the talent development ladder, such as cultivating 1,000 master's and doctoral students in future industries including artificial intelligence and future mobility, and fostering 35,000 start-ups. As concentrating infrastructure, businesses, and talent to enable young people to achieve their dreams without leaving Gwangju is a shared goal of the administration and universities, I ask everyone to do their utmost."