“AI capability is competitiveness itself” ... Soongsil University to expand AI education for non-majors and support infrastructure

[Financial News] Soongsil University will significantly expand university-wide support for AI education and infrastructure, including introducing an “AI Microdegree” (a small-scale degree system) for students outside the field and opening up unused on-campus GPU (graphics processing unit) resources.
Soongsil University said on the 26th that, based on proposals from university members at the awards ceremony and discussion session for the Soongsil AI Competition held on the 22nd, it had decided to pursue the proposed measures to innovate AI education and administration.
At the discussion session, student award winners and staff said that differences in students’ ability to use AI were widening as AI technology advanced rapidly, and proposed urgently expanding education that would help students build practical AI skills regardless of their major. Participants also noted that expanding hands-on classes in which students use AI agents directly, along with educational opportunities for non-majors, was necessary to prevent learning gaps.
In response, Soongsil University President Lee Yun-jae said the university was preparing an “AI Microdegree” curriculum so that non-majors could use AI effectively in their own fields of study. He added that the university would also consider allowing students with AI skills at or above a certain level to substitute for or waive relevant general education courses.
Ways to reduce students’ out-of-pocket costs and infrastructure burdens were also discussed. The award winners asked the university to ease the burden of AI service fees and token costs, open up unused on-campus GPU resources, and improve the practical training environment. President Lee said, “Taking funding and operational efficiency into account, we will actively explore ways to make effective use of existing educational and research resources, including on-campus GPUs.”
President Lee added, “We need to foster talent who can use AI to tackle social challenges, including issues facing young people and older adults, going beyond addressing inconveniences on campus,” and stressed, “We will strengthen education that develops people’s inherent creativity and problem-solving skills alongside their ability to use technology.”
The Soongsil AI Competition, held for the first time this year, drew a total of 36 teams made up of staff and students, who competed with ideas for improving university operations and the campus environment using AI. Ten teams ultimately won awards. The competition was sponsored by NHN CLOUD and Mindlogic. 

[email protected] Kim Man-gi Reporter