The advent of artificial intelligence (AI), deepening social isolation, and the climate crisis have prompted a national initiative to support large-scale research in the humanities and social sciences. Starting in September, 94 innovative interdisciplinary research projects will begin addressing pressing societal challenges, ranging from developing new liberal education models that integrate human and AI collaboration to ecological care models for an aging society.
Among the most notable projects is a study by Yonsei University's Center for Liberal Education, which aims to redefine liberal education in the AI era. This research will propose a new type of talent known as the 'AI Conductor,' who can creatively collaborate with AI while preserving human agency, drawing on the expertise of researchers from the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and software fields.
Additionally, several significant studies focusing on social solutions have been selected. The KU Mental Health Research Institute at Korea University will investigate the causes, maintenance, and recovery pathways of social isolation from a life-cycle perspective to establish a foundation for response policies. Meanwhile, the Sogang University Institute of Social Sciences will analyze the impact of AI proliferation on the labor market, caregiving, and communities to develop a policy framework for a fair transition to AI.
Furthermore, the Design Research Institute at Inje University will study AI-based ecological care models tailored to local communities amid the challenges of an aging society and the ongoing threat of infectious diseases. The Middle East Institute at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies will integrate fragmented domestic research on Middle Eastern studies to propose a new paradigm and expand the scope of Korean humanities.
A total of 195 billion won (approximately $164 million) will be allocated to the 94 newly selected projects, which will officially commence on September 1. This marks an increase of 10 projects (11.9%) from 2025, reflecting the government's commitment to enhancing the specialization of university-affiliated research institutes and supporting high-quality academic research outcomes.
The selected group research projects will be divided into four key areas. The 'Humanities Korea 3.0 Support' initiative will focus on nurturing university-affiliated research institutes to a world-class level, with eight research hubs and two consortiums selected. The 'Support for Humanities and Social Research' initiative will allocate a total of 44 projects, including five new education-linked projects aimed at enhancing primary and secondary education and four projects focused on arts and sports.
Additionally, the 'Global Humanities and Social Convergence Research Support' initiative, which encourages interdisciplinary collaboration with researchers from the natural sciences, has selected 33 projects. Notably, this year, the consortium-type research on long-term international issues will be transitioned to an open call format to enhance innovation.
Finally, the 'Social Science Research Support' initiative, which addresses designated agendas reflecting national and social needs, has selected four domestic and three international projects based on themes such as the digitalization of governance and coexistence in the climate crisis era.
Minister of Education Cho Kyoo-jin stated, "I hope that convergence research based on the humanities and social sciences will provide long-term alternatives and practical solutions to the complex issues facing the world, such as the AI transformation, social isolation, and the climate crisis. We will establish a stable support system to ensure that collective intelligence from universities and academia leads to world-leading research outcomes and contributes to solving social problems."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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