South Korea’s Metaverse Education Initiative
The metaverse industry is experiencing rapid growth, prompting South Korea to proactively invest in training a new generation of experts in this emerging field. The South Korean government has taken a groundbreaking step by allocating funding to a local college to establish a program dedicated to educating individuals in metaverse technologies and applications. This strategic move aims to position South Korea as a leader in the global metaverse market and ensure its continued influence in shaping the future of this innovative technology. Let’s explore the details of this investment and the impact it could have on South Korea’s role in the metaverse landscape.
Investing in Metaverse Education
South Korea is ramping up its investment in the metaverse by recognizing the need to educate professionals in this field. Chung-Ang University (CAU) has been selected for the “Metaverse Graduate School Support Project” to empower it to “educate global experts in the metaverse field.” CAU will receive approximately $4 million over six years to conduct the training, positioning the university to lead the development of metaverse-focused expertise and education, aligning with China’s exploration of the web3 realm.
A Metaverse Innovation Hub
According to Industry Korea, the funding, provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT, aims to drive research and collaboration “to enhance the competitiveness of the metaverse industry.” Professor Baek Joon-ki of CAU mentioned that the university had already been delving into the virtual world prior to the government partnership. Previous initiatives include conducting a metaverse innovation hub, recognizing the metaverse as “the next-generation video content environment.”
The government funding will support the establishment of a new division offering various metaverse-specific courses focusing on areas such as web3 gaming, character creation, and medical services.
Metaverse-Centric Course Offerings
CAU’s collaboration with the South Korean government follows another partnership between Yonsei University and tech giant LG to create a metaverse campus for traditional course lectures in the metaverse. Additionally, South Korea recently introduced new regulations classifying certain NFTs as cryptocurrencies. Other Asian countries like Japan and Singapore are also seeing an increase in metaverse and web3 exploration.
As South Korea drives its metaverse agenda through partnerships with educational institutions, it remains to be seen if other countries will follow suit or if metaverse development will be left to private entities. This strategic investment in metaverse education positions South Korea as a key player in shaping the future of this transformative technology.
