KAIST, NYU prep Korea’s first joint degree program in AI

Linda Mills, President of New York University (left), and Lee Kwang-hyung, President of KAIST, take a commemorative photo after signing the MOU. [Courtesy of KAIST]

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) is teaming up with New York University to nurture global talent in the artificial intelligence (AI) field.

KAIST announced on Monday that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NYU to introduce a joint degree program in AI.

The MoU signing ceremony, which took place in Seoul, was attended by KAIST President Lee Kwang-hyung and NYU President Linda Mills as well as key figures from Korean companies.

Under the MoU, the two institutions plan to have an operating committee in place by the end of 2024 to design a joint degree program for graduate studies in AI. This will be the first time a joint degree program in AI will be created alongside a prestigious foreign university in South Korea.

The committee will be composed of an equal number of faculty members from both institutions. They will begin detailed discussions on the framework of the joint degree program, including curriculum, faculty, student numbers, and budget. A new logo symbolizing the joint AI degree between KAIST and NYU will also be developed.

Students will have the opportunity to gain research experience by participating in various international joint research projects led by faculty from both schools. The program’s core objective is to continuously cultivate top talent in the AI field to lead future societies.

KAIST and NYU have been steadily advancing their shared campus and joint research initiatives since signing a cooperation agreement to build a joint campus in June 2022. The duo also implemented an exchange student system for undergraduates from the second semester of the 2023 academic year, with 30 students selected from KAIST and 11 from NYU participating.

The two universities have also agreed to introduce a dual degree system for master’s and doctoral students, with specific procedures currently underway. They also plan to initiate international joint research projects in 10 fields, focusing on AI and biotechnology Starting in the fourth quarter of 2024.

“In an era of global technological competition, developing AI technology is essential for nations and companies to secure competitiveness,” Lee said. “We will lead the way in nurturing world-class talent via our long-term collaboration with NYU.”