GIST launches AI graduate school to cultivate world-class talent

The Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) has officially launched its AI graduate school, signaling a strategic move to cultivate top-tier talent in artificial intelligence and semiconductors.

This initiative aligns with the South Korean government's broader strategy to foster AI and semiconductor industries in the southwestern region. The newly established AI graduate school is an expansion and reorganization of GIST's former Information and Computing College.

The AI graduate school will enroll 990 students across its AI department, AX department, Electrical and Computer Engineering department, Semiconductor Engineering department, and AI Policy Strategy graduate school. It offers an integrated curriculum from undergraduate to doctoral levels.

A key feature is the Semiconductor Engineering department, a contract program in collaboration with Samsung Electronics, set to admit 30 students annually for a combined bachelor's and master's program until 2028. Graduates will be eligible for employment at Samsung Electronics.

GIST also plans to increase its undergraduate admissions by 100 students starting in the 2027 academic year, focusing on advanced fields like AI, semiconductors, and bio-engineering. Discussions are also underway with SK Group to establish another contract program. GIST President Lim Ki-cheol emphasized the school's role as a starting point to proactively respond to national strategies and industry demands, aiming to become a hub for cultivating convergent talent that will drive innovation across all industries.

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The AI graduate school is not simply about creating a new college, but a starting point to proactively respond to national strategies and industry demands. We will foster convergent talent that leads innovation in all industries using artificial intelligence, including semiconductors, mobility, energy, and bio, and establish ourselves as a key educational and research hub supporting South Korea's AI and semiconductor ecosystem.