Gyeongsang Nat'l Univ. to launch aerospace engineering school with Glocal University 30 funding

Gyeongsang National University will focus on improving its aerospace education with the funding it secured through the Global University 30 project, the university's president, Kwon Soon-ki, said Tuesday.

Kwon Soon-ki, president of Gyeongsang National University, details plans on how the university will use government funding from the Glocal University 30 project at a ceremony on Tuesday. [GYEONGSANG NATIONAL UNIVERSITY]

Gyeongsang National University will focus on improving its aerospace education with the funding it secured through the Glocal University 30 project, the university's president, Kwon Soon-ki, said Tuesday.

In an event announcing the university's plans for the future and how it will use the funding, Kwon said, "We will enhance the quality of Gyeongsang National University's aerospace education to be on par with Seoul National University's, with the goal of becoming a leading university in training talent, academic advancement and industry-academic partnerships."

Gyeongsang National University is one of the 10 winners selected for the Glocal University 30 project in November. The government-funded project will give universities outside the greater Seoul region 100 billion won ($76.5 million) over the next five years to help them attract more students as the student population declines outside the greater Seoul.

During Tuesday's ceremony, the university announced five goals, including plans for its new aerospace engineering school.

Its inaugural undergraduate class will start school in the upcoming spring semester, and all students will be offered full tuition. Students with outstanding grades will be given an additional stipend.

Selected students will be given an opportunity to work at Korea Aerospace Industries after graduation.

The university also plans to establish the Gyeongnam Aerospace & Defense Institute of Science and Technology. The institute will have research centers for various aerospace studies and many interdisciplinary programs regarding aerospace.

It will also partner with local vocational colleges to invite more international students to Korea by teaching them Korean and Korean culture while offering technical training, Kwon said.

"Korea will [need more] workers and need to bring international students from abroad to [solve] its labor shortage," he said.

More entrepreneurship classes and support for student startups will also be provided.

The Ministry of Education promised to help the universities selected for the project carry out its plans promptly.

"Starting with the Glocal University 30 project, local governments and universities should continue to work together to attract more investments from institutions and organizations, also going through innovation to become a world-class university," Lee Ju-ho, education minister, said in a congratulatory video message for the event.

"The Ministry of Education won't just be funding the project financially, but work as a partner that spares no effort in providing both administrative and financial support for universities to innovate."

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]