Chung-Ang University (CAU), under the leadership of President Park Sang-gue, has been chosen for the prestigious “Metaverse Graduate School Support Project.” This selection will provide the university with KRW 5.5 billion in government subsidies over the next six years. The funding aims to cultivate global experts in the burgeoning field of the metaverse, positioning CAU at the forefront of global advancements in metaverse content and technology.
CAU’s Graduate School of Advanced Imaging Science, Multimedia & Film was recently recognized by the Ministry of Science and ICT for the Metaverse Graduate School Support Project. This government-backed initiative focuses on bolstering education, research, and industry-academic cooperation to develop high-level talent capable of driving the metaverse industry forward. The project’s overarching goal is to enhance the competitiveness of the metaverse sector, which is seen as a pivotal platform for innovation and a key player in the digital era.
Pioneering Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation
Established in 1999, CAU’s Graduate School of Advanced Imaging Science, Multimedia & Film is renowned for its multidisciplinary research that integrates visual arts with engineering technology. The school has a track record of producing groundbreaking research, next-generation content planning experts, and award-winning works featured in various film festivals and contests. The institution’s success in securing research projects and human resources training initiatives worth KRW 14 billion, including the BK21 Plus Project and OTT Specialized Graduate School Support Project, underscores its capacity to lead in the metaverse field, video-related AI research, and video content production.
Professor Baek Joon-ki, who heads the research efforts at the Graduate School of Advanced Imaging Science, Multimedia & Film, noted that CAU has been proactive in expanding the metaverse. Initiatives include establishing a virtual convergence university centered on realistic media, creating a digital twin hospital in Gwangmyeong, and hosting metaverse job fairs. With the success of the new support project, the university plans to maximize synergies in the metaverse domain. The focus will be on training talents who can integrate engineering technology with artistic content production, tailored specifically to the metaverse environment, which is gaining recognition as a next-generation video content platform.
Launching the Department of Metaverse Convergence
Following its selection for the support project, CAU will establish a new “Department of Metaverse Convergence” within the Graduate School of Advanced Imaging Science, Multimedia & Film. The curriculum will feature nine major Meta Fusion courses: Meta+Scenario, Meta+Art/Creation, Meta+Webtoon, Meta+Culture/Exhibition, Meta+Studio, Meta+Shopping, Meta+Game, Meta+Medical, and Meta+Character. Each major will have specialized programs designed to address specific aspects of the metaverse.
The graduate school plans to aggressively pursue its dual objectives of producing metaverse experts and conducting convergence research. Students will benefit from exceptional support, including project production cost subsidies and scholarships, ensuring they have the resources needed to excel in their studies and research.
President Park Sang-gue expressed optimism about CAU’s enhanced metaverse capabilities, driven by the Graduate School of Advanced Imaging Science, Multimedia & Film. He emphasized the importance of strengthening industry-academia cooperation, particularly with faculty members who possess extensive field experience. The university is committed to providing an education that is not only academically rigorous but also directly applicable in industrial settings.
With these initiatives, CAU is set to become a leader in metaverse education and innovation, significantly contributing to the development of this cutting-edge field. The substantial government support and the university’s strategic approach to fostering talent and conducting pioneering research promise to position CAU as a central player in the global metaverse landscape.
