The Ministry of Education building at Government Complex Sejong in Sejong City / Korea Times file
Korea’s education ministry unveiled a sweeping plan to embed artificial intelligence (AI) into the core of university education, selecting 20 educational institutions to lead a new national curriculum effort aimed at every student, regardless of major.
The Ministry of Education said Thursday that the schools had been chosen for the “2026 University AI Basic Curriculum Development Support Project.”
The initiative is designed to ensure that all university students acquire fundamental AI competencies as the use of the technology becomes ubiquitous. The ministry said the program also seeks to narrow disparities in AI education across regions and institutions.
A total of 80 universities applied. Following document reviews and on-site evaluations, 20 were selected — including six in the capital region and 14 elsewhere.
Participating universities will develop foundational liberal arts courses covering AI literacy, including ethics and critical thinking, as well as smaller specialized programs that apply AI to fields outside of engineering. They will also strengthen faculty capabilities and establish systems to manage and deliver high-quality instruction.
The ministry said the resulting curriculum will be shared with other institutions to promote broader adoption of AI education across the higher education system.
The ministry said the initiative is expected to make AI education universal and reduce regional gaps.
“We expect this project to expand access to AI education and ensure that all students build essential competencies,” it said.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
Source: Korea Times News
