Konkuk University to Use Big Data to Predict Schools at Risk of Disappearing and AI Education Gaps

[Financial News] Research is getting underway to use big data to predict and prevent the disappearance of schools caused by population decline and educational gaps arising from the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).
Konkuk University’s Educational Data Science Research Institute announced on the 15th that it had been selected for the 2026 Humanities and Social Sciences Research Institute Support Program, organized by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), and will conduct research on responding to future educational crises over the next six years. Rather than seeking solutions after problems emerge, the research will focus on identifying educational crises in advance through big data and responding proactively.
The institute plans to precisely calculate the decline in the school-age population caused by low birth rates and the risk of schools disappearing. It will also create a “curriculum desert map” that provides an overview of areas where learning opportunities are limited because digital infrastructure is unavailable. Through this effort, the institute aims to establish a system that identifies regions and students at high risk of being left in educational blind spots and provides the support they need in a tailored manner.
The analysis will combine population, administrative, and regional data with comprehensive learning big data covering the entire lifespan, from early childhood through adult lifelong education. The institute will also develop a collaborative learning model in which students and AI can study together effectively.
Lee Hyun-sook, director of Konkuk University’s Educational Data Science Research Institute, said, “We will systematically diagnose the challenges of a new educational environment in which humans and AI coexist through data.” She added, “We will work to establish ourselves as a research hub that offers practical solutions to educational issues.”  

[email protected] Kim Man-ki Reporter