Seoul National University, KAIST, and Hanyang University were designated as AI semiconductor graduate schools.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 8th the establishment of three new AI semiconductor graduate schools at leading universities to foster advanced talent in the field of AI semiconductors. The research teams led by Professor Hyuk-Jae Lee from Seoul National University, Professor Ho-Jun Yoo from KAIST, and Professor Jae-Kyung Jung from Hanyang University were selected.

The newly established program aims to cultivate advanced talents specializing in AI semiconductor design and AI software, which are national strategic technologies and are critical for economic security. It is designed to enhance technological competitiveness, promote the development of domestic AI semiconductors, and create future emerging markets. A total of 16.4 billion won is planned to be allocated to each university from 2023 to 2028 to support this initiative.

Seoul National University will establish specialized curricula in areas such as architecture, system software, AI algorithms, and semiconductor circuit design. Additionally, they will offer credit-linked field training programs in collaboration with industry partners, including fabless companies, during vacation periods. A new major track in AI semiconductor will be introduced to cultivate talents with expertise encompassing both AI hardware and software.

KAIST will carry out various practical research initiatives and industry-academia joint projects on AI algorithms, circuit design, and chip implementation. To foster interdisciplinary education and research beyond traditional academic boundaries, KAIST will introduce a multiple-advisor system and establish strategic global cooperative education programs with leading universities in the United States and Europe, focusing on next-generation fields such as Processing in Memory (PIM) semiconductor technology.

Hanyang University will focus on core technology research in areas such as ultra-low power and neuromorphic computing technologies.

They will also enhance industry-academia collaboration to promote the active exchange of knowledge and expertise. To achieve these goals, the university will establish three mandatory industry-academia programs: Industry-Innovation, Demand-Oriented, and International Cooperation tracks. These programs aim to equip students with specialized knowledge and practical skills, allowing them to solve real-world problems.

Yeong-Su Jeon, the Director General of the National IT Industry Promotion Agency of the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, "As large-scale AI technologies continue to advance and spread rapidly, the importance of AI chips specialized for AI computations is becoming more prominent." He further emphasized, "We will actively support the cultivation of talents in AI chip technology and will fully devote our efforts to create a ecosystem for various promising industries, including the K-Cloud."

Source: https://ee.snu.ac.kr/community/news?bm=v&bbsidx=53616

Translated by: Do-Hyung Kim, English Editor of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, kimdohyung@snu.ac.kr