Hanyang University ERICA announced on October 10 that the "Physical AI Education and Research Group," led by Professor Kyungtae Kang from the Department of Artificial Intelligence at the College of Software Convergence, has been additionally selected in the artificial intelligence (AI) field of the "2025 Fourth Phase Brain Korea (BK) 21 Innovative Talent Development Project," which is promoted by the Ministry of Education and the National Research Foundation of Korea.
Professor Kyungtae Kang (third from right) and staff members of Hanyang University ERICA AI Convergence Research Institute. Hanyang University ERICA
The BK21 Innovative Talent Development Project is a key national initiative aimed at systematically nurturing specialized personnel in new industries. In particular, this additional selection in the AI field responds to the rapidly increasing industrial demand for highly skilled professionals due to the proliferation of large language models and intelligent software. Through this, Hanyang University ERICA will receive approximately 800 million won annually in research and education funding until 2027.
The ERICA Education and Research Group aims to develop practical physical AI technologies based on the university's industry-academia-research cooperation ecosystem. Through these efforts, the group pursues innovation in future industries, the enhancement of quality of life, and the realization of a sustainable society. This contributes to the government's initiative to become one of the world’s top three AI powerhouses and ultimately aims to foster innovative talent in the physical AI field, leading the grand transformation of the Industry 5.0 ecosystem.
In particular, to nurture highly skilled talent that will support the major transformation in the robotics, manufacturing, and mobility sectors, the group will provide graduate student research scholarships for master's and doctoral students, support international academic activities, and offer educational and research opportunities linked to industry-academia joint projects. Through these measures, the group plans to strengthen industry-tailored education and practice-oriented research.
Additionally, leveraging a collaborative network with 18 top universities and research institutions worldwide, the group will enhance the global competitiveness of its graduate students. The group will expand international research experience by requiring each student to participate in at least one international activity per year, conducting joint research with prestigious research institutions, and offering both short- and long-term overseas training programs.
Professor Kyungtae Kang, head of the Education and Research Group, stated, "This additional selection in the BK21 AI field is an official recognition of ERICA's industry-academia-research cooperation foundation and educational capabilities. Through the Education and Research Group, we will prevent the outflow of core physical AI talent overseas and contribute to a human-centered transformation of the industrial ecosystem."
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