Kookmin University said Monday it is launching an artificial intelligence doctoral fellowship program for Palestinian students in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency.
The program aims to train doctoral researchers who will help drive digital transformation and innovation in Palestine.
Under the long-term training program, 30 Palestinian students will be selected to pursue doctoral degrees in AI at Kookmin University’s Graduate School of AI and Software with support for research and development.
The students will study core AI technologies and their applications across industry and the public sector.
The university said the students' research topics will be selected in connection with major challenges facing Palestine so that the findings can be applied to local problem-solving and the country’s digital transformation.
During the program, participants will receive specialized AI education while taking part in joint research with Korean scholars, industry-academia collaboration projects, internships, international academic conferences and technology commercialization programs, according to Kookmin University.
Unlike conventional scholarship programs that focus primarily on degree attainment, the university designed the fellowship to encourage participants to return to Palestine after graduation and contribute to the country’s innovation ecosystem, the university said.
“The fellowship is not simply about providing talented Palestinians with opportunities to earn doctoral degrees,” said Joe Hyun-gue, head of KOICA’s Palestine Office. “It is designed to lay the foundation for them to lead local research and development and digital transformation after returning home.”
“We will support the program so its outcomes contribute to improving public services, creating jobs for young people, advancing industrial innovation and accelerating digital transformation in Palestine,” said Lee Sang-hwan, a professor in Kookmin University’s College of Software Convergence who is leading the program.
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