University Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Smilegate to Cultivate AI·SW Talent

- A Smilegate Digital Human & Entertainment specialization to be established within the Department of Artificial Intelligence at the AI graduate school, with full scholarship support -

- Joint establishment and operation of the 'Smilegate Digital Human Research Centre' to advance AI industry–academia cooperation -

▲ (From left) President Shim Jong-hyuk; Kwon Hyuk-bin, Chairman of Smilegate Hope Studio

On Thursday 16 September, a memorandum of understanding ceremony for cultivating AI·SW talent and industry–academia cooperation was held with Smilegate in the fourth-floor conference room of the main building. At the ceremony, Smilegate announced that it would provide the University with around 1 billion won a year and build a partnership for leading AI talent development and joint research in advanced industry.

The ceremony was attended by senior figures from both organizations, including President Shim Jong-hyuk, Vice President for Academic Affairs Song Tae-kyong, Vice President for External Affairs Kim Soon-ki and Dean of the Graduate School Jeon Seong-hoon, along with Smilegate Hope Studio Chairman Kwon Hyuk-bin, Entertainment AI Centre head Han Woo-jin, Holdings director Yeo Seung-hwan and Head of Management Support Kim Young-ki.

Under the agreement, the two organizations will cooperate on ▲cultivating AI talent, ▲jointly designing the curriculum for advanced AI departments and supporting SW industry–academia cooperation, ▲research to strengthen medium- to long-term AI research capability and secure core technology, and ▲jointly establishing a Smilegate research centre.

To this end, a 'Smilegate Digital Human & Entertainment' track will be established within the Department of Artificial Intelligence at Sogang University's AI graduate school from March 2022, with the first students to be selected in October. Twenty master's students will be admitted each year through joint interviews conducted by the University and Smilegate, and successful applicants will receive scholarships of 18 million won each. Smilegate will also take part with the University in designing the curriculum for AI foundation and other major courses, and will support a cloud computing environment for AI·SW practical training.

In addition, the 'Smilegate Digital Human Research Centre' will be jointly established to strengthen medium- to long-term AI research capability and secure core technology. The centre will be staffed by Smilegate researchers together with University faculty and graduate students, who will collaborate on AI industry–academia projects. To this end, Smilegate will provide project research funding and centre operating costs as industry–academia research projects are identified, while the University will provide dedicated research centre space for graduate students.

President Shim Jong-hyuk said: "Sogang University is attempting a range of changes to realize AI-based convergence education across the humanities and sciences, to build a metaverse framework, and to support entrepreneurship. I express my deep gratitude to Smilegate for lending further strength to these efforts, and we will continue to do our utmost to cultivate the talent that will lead the AI era."

In reply, Chairman Kwon Hyuk-bin (Electronic Engineering '92) said: "I am genuinely delighted to be conducting AI research together with Sogang University." He added: "Because what matters is how AI is used rather than AI technology in itself, we will run a distinctive AI graduate programme with a curriculum based on AI project themes centred on experience and problem-solving rather than teaching," and "I hope this becomes the occasion for creating new industries and value and overtaking the future."

Smilegate has meanwhile always paid attention to the importance of supporting the cultivation of creative talent and youth entrepreneurship. In 2013 it jointly established the Art & Technology Centre with Sogang University to help students give expression to a range of creative ideas, and it has actively supported youth entrepreneurship through the establishment of the start-up support system Orange Planet. Smilegate is a global games company that has drawn worldwide attention with flagship titles such as CrossFire and Lost Ark, recording annual revenue of more than 1 trillion won as of 2020, and is growing beyond a top-five domestic games company into a global entertainment company with a wide range of cultural content.

Source: Sogang News http://www.sogang.ac.kr/story/p_news.html