Regional universities to recruit students beyond enrollment caps for semiconductor, AI talent

The Ministry of Education will allow regional universities to recruit students beyond their enrollment caps to develop talent in advanced fields needed for the so-called "three mega-projects" — semiconductors, physical AI and AI data centers.

The ministry announced the plan Thursday, releasing a support package titled "Talent Development Support Plan for the Three Mega-Projects." The three mega-projects refer to the semiconductor, physical AI and AI data center sectors at the heart of Korea's AI industrial revolution.

The ministry will first introduce what it is tentatively calling a "regional agreement enrollment system," under which regional universities that sign agreements with companies can recruit students beyond their enrollment caps to meet those companies' excess workforce demand. The aim is to let universities in areas receiving large-scale investment directly train the workers those regions need.

A "talent development fast-track system" is also being pursued. Under the plan, regional universities would use major changes and over-quota transfer admissions to train the workers companies need within two years. The ministry plans to gather university feedback by year-end before pushing ahead with related legislative amendments.

The ministry said it has supported an increase of about 7,100 enrollment slots in fields related to the three mega-projects — including AI, semiconductors, and software and communications — over the seven academic years from 2021 through 2027.

Contract departments tailored to industry needs are also expanding. As of the university information disclosure at the end of June, enrollment in mega-project-related contract departments stood at 3,650 students in the semiconductor field and 2,158 in AI.

The ministry is also running an advanced-field talent development support program worth about 1 trillion won ($662 million). Within that, programs related to the three mega-projects are training 23,064 people annually — 9,701 in semiconductors and 13,363 in fields related to physical AI and AI data centers.

By program, the figures break down as follows: 7,400 trainees through advanced industry talent boot camps; 1,100 through specialized advanced industry universities; 690 through a semiconductor joint research institute consortium curriculum; 8,734 through advanced field innovation convergence universities; and 5,140 through the fourth-phase Brain Korea 21 project.

"The Ministry of Education is working to provide students with industry demand-based curricula by supporting flexible enrollment systems in advanced fields, contract departments and advanced industry talent boot camps," said Choi Eun-ok, vice minister of education. "We will train the talent companies need for the three mega-projects without shortage, and in doing so support the national balanced growth strategy."