South Korea's science and technology university KAIST and New York University signed an agreement in Seoul to introduce a joint degree program in artificial intelligence on Monday.

The agreement came after both universities shared a consensus that strengthening capabilities in the field of artificial intelligence and fostering global talent is an essential element that can contribute to the future development of society as a whole, beyond mere technical education, KAIST explained.

The two universities have been operating joint research groups in AI. Based on Monday's agreement, a committee will be established this year to design a joint degree program for graduate programs in AI-related fields.

The committee will be composed of an equal number of faculty members from both schools and will discuss the overall strategic plan for the joint degree program, including the structure and composition of the curriculum, course completion roadmap, as well as the size of faculties and students and legal matters related to certification.

“The joint degree program in AI is expected to be a first-of-its-kind innovative experiment in which KAIST will join forces with NYU to create a combined AI degree,” said a KAIST official.

After the two schools signed a cooperation pact for a joint campus in June 2022, they shared campuses and conducted joint research and bachelor's programs, exchanging 30 KAIST and 11 NYU students.

“Artificial intelligence technology can play a huge role in addressing many societal challenges, including climate change, healthcare, and educational disparities,” said NYU President Linda Mills. ”The global talent we will foster will make innovative contributions to solving these problems.”