Three universities in Gyeongbuk Province—Kyungun University, Gumi University, and Daekyeung University—have been selected for the Ministry of Education's "2026 Leading Specialization University Promotion Project," securing a total of 45 billion won in national funding over the next five years. The three institutions will focus on nurturing future industry talent in the fields of future aviation, Physical AI, and cultural content.

Kyungun University was selected in the four-year university category, while Gumi University and Daekyeung University were chosen in the junior college category. Each university will concentrate its educational capabilities on its respective areas of strength and establish a specialized workforce training system linked to local industries.

The Ministry of Education newly established this project this year to respond to the declining school-age population and changes in the industrial structure. The initiative aims to support private universities in developing sustainable specialization models tailored to national and regional policies and industrial demands.

Kyungun University was selected by putting forward the future aviation industry as its specialized field in the high-tech and regional strategic industries sector. Starting with 5 billion won this year, it will receive a total of 25 billion won in national funding over five years.

Based on the Yeongnam region's high-tech industrial manufacturing belt, the university plans to promote specialization in aviation safety, aviation operation and services, and aviation technology and maintenance. It plans to reorganize its four-department system focusing on core occupations in the future aviation industry and expand enrollment in specialized fields by more than 50%. Kyungun University has already been selected as an anchor university for the future aviation (aviation mobility) strategic industry supervised by Gyeongbuk Province, cultivating core talent in related fields. Through this selection, it will further strengthen its specialization capabilities.

Gumi University was selected in the Physical AI field and will receive 10 billion won in national funding over five years, including 2 billion won this year. It will foster specialized technical personnel in Physical AI, focusing on robot and automation implementation and operation, while increasing its specialized departments to seven through the deployment of specialized tracks and the establishment of an AI Robot Engineering Department.

Daekyeung University was selected in the cultural content field and will receive 10 billion won in national funding over five years. It will build a cultural content academic system that converges artificial intelligence and digital technology based on performance, music, acting, dance, and modeling. It will also strengthen field education by utilizing content production and on-campus corporate training facilities.

Lee Sang-soo, Director-General of Local Government Strategy at Gyeongbuk Province, stated, "With three universities in the province selected as leading specialization universities, we will be able to enhance university competitiveness—such as structural improvements—centered on each university's specialized field. We will actively support these leading specialization universities so they can concentrate their capabilities and provide high-quality education to students."

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