Pusan National University to Train AI Specialists with KRW 16.5 Billion in National and Municipal Funding Over Eight Years

[Financial News] Busan Metropolitan City Government said on the 22nd that Pusan National University had been selected as the final recipient of the Regional Intelligentization Innovation Talent Development Project, organized by the Ministry of Science and ICT.
The Regional Intelligentization Innovation Talent Development Project is a national initiative that trains talent for intelligent regional innovation by linking industry-academia joint research with efforts to strengthen the information and communications technology (ICT) capabilities of employees in regional industries, with the aim of upgrading and diversifying those industries.
Together with PNU, the Busan Metropolitan City Government will invest KRW 15 billion in national funds, KRW 1.5 billion in municipal funds, and university matching funds from 2026 to 2033. The investment will support industry-academia joint research and the training of AI specialists.
Using its existing working-professional education programs in ICT convergence and its experience in industry-academia cooperation, PNU will operate engineering master's programs for more than 20 working professionals each year. It will also implement an integrated education and research model that connects companies' real-world challenges with industry-academia joint research and master's theses.
During the project period, PNU aims to admit 160 new students to its master's program for working professionals, produce 90 master's degree holders from among working professionals, and graduate 160 full-time master's and doctoral students. Through these efforts, it will train AI specialists needed by regional industries.
The main research areas are smart manufacturing AI, smart port and maritime AI, and edge AI and industrial AI platforms.
Eleven small and medium-sized and mid-sized companies from the southeastern region will also participate in the project. These companies will conduct industry-academia joint research closely tied to workplace needs and work with demand-side companies, including Hyundai Motor Company, LG Electronics, Samsung Heavy Industries, Dongkuk Steel Mill, and Busan Port Authority (BPA), to apply the technologies developed to industrial sites and commercialize them.
Through the project, the Busan Metropolitan City Government plans to strengthen the AI technology competitiveness of regional companies and create a virtuous cycle in which talented individuals learn and grow in Busan before driving innovation in regional industries through employment and entrepreneurship.
[email protected] Kwon Byeong-seok Reporter