Innovation City and Local University Linkages: Current Status and Ideas for Promotion

Seo Yeon-mi (research fellow), Kim Eun-nan​ (research fellow), Cho Eun-ju (assistant research fellow)

Summary

1) To propose specialized development for individual innovation cities, the South Korean government is currently pursuing a strategy of linkages between innovation cities and local universities.

2) The focus of innovation city/local university linkages has been on policies to foster and supply a customized workforce to meet the demand of relocated public institutions and businesses, although this is still in the early introduction stages.

3) Strategies for establishing the role of universities in innovation city development and promoting linkages are currently lacking.

4) With universities currently playing a number of roles including education, research, social service, and consumption with the local community, a strategy is needed to establish the role of universities in innovation city development and promote linkages.

Policy implications

① (Establish road map for pursuit of innovation city/local university linkage efforts) With innovation city/local university linkage efforts currently stuck in their early stages, steady pursuit will require establishment of a road map and gradually expansion of those efforts based on discussions among relocated public institutions, local governments, and universities.

② (Enhance role of local universities in training customized workforce for innovation cities) Strengthen education quality and expand customized workforce supplies to bolster linkages between local universities and relocated public institutions (including revisions to department curricula and institution of convergence/multiple majors and a “track” curriculum model).

③ (Establish company/local university linkage system for specialized innovation city development) Devise and promote industry/academia cooperation linkage efforts that reflect areas of specialized development for relocated public institutions and arriving companies.

④ (Establish governance to promote innovation city/local university linkages) Create systems for comprehensive management and linkages among institutions to promote linkage efforts among relocating public institutions, arriving companies, and local universities. Establish and operate development centers as hubs for exchange and cooperation among industry, academia, and research institutes, as well as hubs for start-up incubation. ​