Winners named for Glocal University 30 project in boost to regional education

Ten winners were selected for the Glocal University 30 project, a government project that will give universities outside the greater Seoul region multibillion-won funding to attract more students amid a population decline.

According to the Ministry of Education on Monday, six universities and four coalitions are part of the list.  

The six universities are: Gyeongsang National University, Sunchon National University, University of Ulsan, Jeonbuk National University, Pohang University of Science and Technology and Hallym University.  

The four coalitions are Kangwon National University and Gangneung-Wonju National University; Pusan National University and Busan National University of Education; Andong National University and Gyeongbuk Provincial College; and Chungbuk National University and Korea National University of Transportation.

Selected universities and coalitions will each be given 100 billion won ($75.6 million) for the next five years.  

The project aims to support universities outside the greater Seoul region as the student population declines, while the remaining population prefers schools in greater Seoul.  

Universities will be mainly using the funding to diversify their curriculum, adding areas of study that are highly sought after by businesses in their city and fields that have good future prospects.

Five universities — Soonchunhyang University, Chonnam National University, Inje University, Yonsei University Mirae Campus and Handong Global University — were selected for the first round selection process of the Glocal University 30 project announced in June, but failed to make it to the final selection.  

The education ministry aims to select another 10 universities for the project by 2024, and additional five universities each for 2025 and 2026.

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