Gov't grants autonomy, funding to 9 regional universities to spur decentralized growth

Choi Kyo-jin, deputy prime minister and education minister, delivers a speech during an appointment ceremony at the ministry's office in Government Complex Sejong, Sept. 12. Yonhap

The Ministry of Education on Sunday announced nine additional schools for its Glocal University project, which provides universities outside Seoul with funding and autonomy to boost their global competitiveness in a bid to ease growth centered on the capital region.

The selected schools are spread across the country, underscoring the national effort to decentralize growth. They include Kyungsung University in Busan; Soonchunhyang University and Hanseo University in South Chungcheong Province; Jeju National University on Jeju Island; and the southwestern cluster of Chonnam National University, Chosun University and Chosun Nursing College in Gwangju. Also on the list are major national universities, with Chungnam National University based in the science hub of Daejeon and Kongju National University, primarily located in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province.

The nine institutions were recognized for advancing diverse models of growth, from pioneering artificial intelligence (AI)-driven education and research to pursuing financial self-reliance through independent revenue streams, forging global partnerships in specialized fields and breaking down barriers by integrating across institutions.

Since its launch, the education ministry has named 10 Glocal Universities in both 2023 and 2024. With the latest additions, a total of 27 models spanning 39 universities have now been selected for the initiative.

Each university chosen for the project will receive 100 billion won ($70.9 million) in government funding over five years, with the goal of driving growth among institutions beyond the Seoul metropolitan area.

The ministry plans to provide strong support to regional universities with the capacity to reach world-class standards, seeking not only to elevate higher education but also to address the ongoing threat of regional decline.

As part of this push, flagship national universities will be fostered as specialized research-centered institutions under a strategy to "create 10 Seoul National Universities," seeking to reduplicate the reputation of the prestigious university.

These universities will be linked with local science and technology institutes, government-funded research centers and neighboring universities, with a focus on driving growth in the nation’s five strategic and three specialized industrial sectors.

In addition, both leading public and private universities will be expected to serve as specialized institutions tied to regional industries and drivers of local innovation under the government’s Regional Innovation System for Education (RISE) framework, designed to give local governments greater authority over higher education.

They are expected to spearhead cross-regional collaborations and promote greater sharing and partnership among universities.

Universities disputing the evaluation results will be able to lodge appeals until Oct. 13, with the education ministry set to announce the outcome of its final review later in October.

"Balanced national growth is no longer a choice but a necessity, and universities are central to nurturing talent and driving industry-academia cooperation for regional development," said Choi Kyo-jin, deputy prime minister and education minister.

Stressing the importance of regional universities, he added that the newly designated specialized universities must take the lead in this effort.