UNIST and the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME) have formed a strategic partnership to accelerate the AI transformation (AX) among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Korea’s southeastern region.
On March 16, the two institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on AI talent development and regional industrial innovation, combining UNIST’s strengths in advanced education and research with KOSME’s SME support network.
The partnership aims to establish a regional innovation framework linking education, research, and commercialization, providing SME employees with a continuous pathway—from short-term professional training to advanced research and graduate-level study—while strengthening the region’s long-term industrial competitiveness.
UNIST will deliver advanced and project-based programs through Novatus Academia and AI/AX industry–academia research initiatives, while the Busan–Gyeongnam Training Institute of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME) will provide hands-on training focused on real industrial applications, including AI-driven process automation, defect prediction, and quality inspection analytics. Participants who complete the training will also receive information on graduate study opportunities at the UNIST Novatus Graduate School, enabling practical training to extend naturally into research and degree programs.
The first training program will run from May to July, followed by advanced courses later this year, with a focus on expanding AI adoption across manufacturing hubs, such as Ulsan, Busan, and Gyeongnam.
UNIST has steadily expanded its role as a regional hub for AI education and research in the southeastern region of Korea. The university established the region’s first Graduate School of Artificial Intelligence in 2020 and launched the AI Innovation Park in 2021. In 2025, UNIST further strengthened its industry-oriented education ecosystem with the establishment of the Novatus Graduate School, designed to meet the evolving needs of corporate partners. In addition, the Novatus Academia, a professional education program launched in 2021, has trained 419 professionals from 266 companies across eight cohorts, establishing itself as a leading industry-focused AI education program in the region.
Through this collaboration, the Ulsan Regional Headquarters of KOSME plans to connect various SME support initiatives—including policy funding, AI transition programs, and talent matching—with UNIST’s network of 340 family companies and the startup ecosystem at the Pioneers Campus. The partnership aims to strengthen the regional innovation ecosystem by linking education, research, and enterprise support.
“AI has become a key determinant of industrial competitiveness,” said Vice President Hyun Sil Ahn of Research Affairs at UNIST. “We will continue to connect education, research, and commercialization, so that SMEs can apply AI directly in industrial settings.”
Director Han-gyo Cho of Human Resource Development at KOSME, added, “UNIST is a leading hub for AI education and research in Korea’s southeastern region, and Novatus Academia has already demonstrated its effectiveness. By combining KOSME’s training network with UNIST’s AI capabilities, we expect this partnership to deliver meaningful progress in accelerating AI transformation for SMEs.”
