CAU Receives Significant Funding to Spearhead Metaverse Education and Innovation

Chung-Ang University (CAU), under the leadership of President Park Sang-gue, has been selected for the prestigious “Metaverse Graduate School Support Project.” The university will receive KRW 5.5 billion in government subsidies over the next six years to develop global experts in the growing field of the metaverse. This funding aims to position CAU at the forefront of global advancements in metaverse content and technology.

The Ministry of Science and ICT recently recognized CAU’s Graduate School of Advanced Imaging Science, Multimedia & Film for the Metaverse Graduate School Support Project. This initiative focuses on enhancing education, research, and industry-academic cooperation to cultivate talent capable of driving the metaverse industry. The ultimate goal is to boost the competitiveness of the metaverse sector, which is crucial for innovation in the digital era.

Pioneering Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation

Established in 1999, CAU’s Graduate School of Advanced Imaging Science, Multimedia & Film is known for its multidisciplinary research that combines visual arts with engineering technology. The school has a history of producing groundbreaking research, experts in content planning, and award-winning works showcased in various film festivals and contests. The institution’s success in securing research projects and training initiatives valued at KRW 14 billion underscores its role in leading the metaverse field, video-related AI research, and video content production.

Professor Baek Joon-ki, who leads the research at the Graduate School of Advanced Imaging Science, Multimedia & Film, highlighted CAU’s proactive efforts in expanding the metaverse. These efforts include establishing a virtual convergence university focused on realistic media, creating a digital twin hospital in Gwangmyeong, and hosting metaverse job fairs. With the new support project, the university plans to maximize synergies in the metaverse domain by training talents to integrate engineering technology and artistic content production tailored for the metaverse environment.

Launching the Department of Metaverse Convergence

As part of the support project, CAU will establish a new “Department of Metaverse Convergence” within the Graduate School of Advanced Imaging Science, Multimedia & Film. The department will offer nine major Meta Fusion courses including Meta+Scenario, Meta+Art/Creation, Meta+Webtoon, Meta+Culture/Exhibition, Meta+Studio, Meta+Shopping, Meta+Game, Meta+Medical, and Meta+Character, each with specialized programs addressing specific aspects of the metaverse.

The graduate school plans to focus on producing metaverse experts and conducting convergence research. Students will receive support such as project production cost subsidies and scholarships to excel in their studies and research.

President Park Sang-gue expressed optimism about CAU’s enhanced metaverse capabilities through the Graduate School of Advanced Imaging Science, Multimedia & Film. He stressed the importance of strengthening industry-academia cooperation, particularly with faculty members who bring extensive field experience. The university is dedicated to providing education that is academically rigorous and directly applicable in industrial settings.

With these initiatives, CAU aims to lead in metaverse education and innovation, making significant contributions to the advancement of this cutting-edge field. The substantial government support and the university’s strategic approach to talent development and research promise to establish CAU as a key player in the global metaverse landscape.