- 50% of new students to be prioritized from Gyeongsangbuk-do, preventing regional brain drain and strengthening science-focused school capabilities -

On the 1st, Gyeongsangbuk-do, the Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education, and the Daegu Gyeongbuks Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) signed a "Business Agreement for Cultivating STEM Talent in Gyeongsangbuk-do Leading the AI Era" at the provincial government office.

The agreement was formed to jointly respond to the "2026 Science and Technology Institute-affiliated Gifted School Designation and Conversion Competition" hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

The three institutions will cooperate on supporting the conversion into an Institute of Science and Technology-affiliated gifted school, operating the Gyeongbuks-style science-focused school capability enhancement project, and jointly discovering science talent cultivation projects linked to regional industries.

This competition targets high schools in 7 metropolitan cities and provinces that currently lack a gifted school. Through evaluations by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Education, 3 high schools nationwide will be converted into gifted schools.

Gyeongsangbuk-do is pushing for the conversion of Gyeongsan Science High School located in Gyeongsan-si into an Institute of Science and Technology-affiliated gifted school.

If selected, Gyeongsan Science High School will receive up to 45. billion won in national funding from the government. Up to 50% of the new student admission quota can be preferentially selected from students in the Gyeongsangbuk-do region, which will prevent the outflow of excellent local students to the Seoul metropolitan area and expand opportunities for gifted education.

The three institutions will form a working-level consultative body to specify the roles of each institution. They plan to proceed smoothly with follow-up procedures for the conversion, such as establishing a school operation plan aiming for opening in 2029.

"This agreement is an important starting point to discover and nurture talent locally to secure regional sovereignty," said Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongsangbuk-do. "We will work closely with the Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education and DGIST to foster science and technology talent and build a foundation that can link this to Gyeongbuk's industrial growth."

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