LG AI Graduate School wins approval to launch doctoral program

(LG Group)

LG AI Graduate School, Korea’s first corporate in-house graduate school accredited by the Ministry of Education, said Wednesday it has received approval to launch a doctoral program, expanding beyond its master’s program authorized in August.

The school will admit 25 students annually to its master’s program and five to its doctoral program, with an opening ceremony scheduled for March.

The master’s course spans three semesters and focuses on cultivating practical, problem-solving AI talent. The doctoral program, structured as a company-sponsored course lasting at least three years, is designed to train research leaders capable of addressing complex technological challenges in industrial settings. Doctoral candidates will be required to publish at least one SCI-level paper or present research at an international academic conference to graduate.

LG said the expanded program aims to produce AI talent that contributes to both industry and academia, positioning the graduate school as a platform supporting corporate AI transformation.

The group also plans to operate joint programs with universities including Seoul National University and KAIST, with a focus on generative AI and large-scale foundation models for physical AI applications.

“The approval of the doctoral program marks a key step in cultivating future leaders for Korea’s AI industry,” an LG official said. “We aim to nurture talent that bridges industry and academia and drives technological innovation.”

LG Chair Koo Kwang-mo has repeatedly stressed the importance of talent development, pledging full support to ensure researchers can deliver meaningful outcomes in a robust research and development environment.