Sogang University

Strengthening practice-oriented education linked to industry

Establishing AI courses and advanced interdepartmental majors

Leading the creation of an AI entrepreneurship ecosystem

Sogang University has been selected for the government's AI-Oriented University programme and is emerging as a key hub for cultivating artificial intelligence (AI) talent. With support of roughly 3 billion won a year through 2033, it plans to expand its existing software (SW) education framework around AI. [Photo: Sogang University]

Sogang University has been newly selected for the government's AI-Oriented University programme and is emerging as a key hub for cultivating artificial intelligence (AI) talent. Building on the educational innovation capacity accumulated through two selections as a Software-Oriented University, in 2015 and 2024, the University plans to put into full operation a comprehensive innovation framework spanning AI education, research and industry–academia cooperation.

On the 5th, Sogang University announced that it had been selected for the AI-Oriented University programme, the government's flagship initiative for cultivating AI talent. It will accordingly receive support of roughly 3 billion won a year through 2033. On this basis, the University plans to expand its existing software (SW) education framework around AI and to strengthen practice-oriented education linked to industry in order to cultivate AI talent of global calibre.

Sogang University has systematically built its foundation for digital education by making SW courses part of the required general education curriculum, introducing SW interdepartmental majors, and establishing cloud-based practical training environments. It has also strengthened its practice-centred education framework by recruiting faculty with industry experience and expanding corporate-linked projects and industry–academia cooperation programmes.

Practice-oriented education based on generative AI is regarded as a particular strength of Sogang University. By supporting students in designing and implementing the latest AI technologies themselves, the University has raised their readiness for the workplace and, on that basis, built a model for cultivating AI talent that can be deployed in the field immediately.

Taking this programme as a turning point, Sogang University will concentrate on securing AI engineering capability grounded in fundamentals. Its goal is to cultivate AI engineers with global competitiveness by building a full-stack AI education framework spanning the entire process — from understanding AI principles to model design, system implementation and service delivery. At the same time, AI education will be extended beyond particular majors to the whole University. Through an AI micro-degree open to all students, along with department-specific AI convergence tracks and micro-majors, the University will cultivate convergence talent for AI Transformation (AX).

To this end, a total of 74 AI courses and four advanced AI interdepartmental majors will be established. Centred on the AI Convergence Education Institute, which reports directly to the President, the University will offer one-to-one tailored tutoring and stage-by-stage instruction for students without a technical background. It will also open 112 AX convergence bridge courses across all departments in phases, giving students experience in solving problems in their own disciplines by applying AI technology. This reflects Sogang University's educational philosophy of extending AI beyond a technology for a particular field into a common language that connects every domain.

Industry–academia cooperation and practice-oriented education will also be strengthened. Sogang University plans to link its bachelor's–master's fast track, Open Lab, internships and industry projects organically so that students can experience both research and industry from their early years. Working with companies centred on the Pangyo Digital Innovation Campus in particular, students will carry out projects based on real data and proof-of-concept (PoC) assignments, building their ability to solve problems in the field.

Creating an AI entrepreneurship ecosystem is another major undertaking. Sogang University will establish an advanced interdepartmental major in AI entrepreneurship and an entrepreneurship micro-major, and will support students in pursuing study and entrepreneurship in parallel through an entrepreneurship semester system. A University official said: "We will lead Korea's AI innovation by cultivating future-oriented AI talent equipped with humanistic imagination, technical depth, creativity, practical capability and global competitiveness."

Park Ji-won, reporter, JoongAng Ilbo M&P park.jiwon5@joongang.co.kr

[Source: JoongAng Ilbo] https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/25431563