Cheju Halla University Ready for 'Takeoff' in Aerospace Talent Development

The RISE Business Division of Cheju Halla University (Director Ko Seokyong) has joined forces with Jeju’s aerospace companies to formally launch the cultivation of ‘hands-on space talent’ who use real satellite data to solve regional problems.

The Cheju Halla University RISE Business Division announced the successful completion of the ‘Aerospace-Centered AI Convergence Major Curriculum Cooperation Workshop’ held at the Ramada Jeju Hamdeok Hotel on Thursday the 28th.

This event was organized as part of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province’s RISE (Regional Innovation System & Education) project. The workshop brought together representatives from Jeju Special Self-Governing Province’s Space Mobility Division, the Jeju Creative Economy Innovation Center, Hallim Technical High School, as well as Airstars, Pix4D, NaraSpace, Telefix, and JINSystem — spanning universities, high schools, companies, and local government — to explore talent development strategies that can drive Jeju’s future aerospace industry ecosystem.

Hands-On Education That Goes Beyond Theory to Touch ‘Real Data’

The central theme of the workshop was unquestionably ‘real-world relevance.’ Participants agreed on moving away from the existing theory-centered education and bringing the actual satellite data and AI technologies that companies work with into the classroom.

Participating companies put their heads together to design curricula that can be immediately applied in the field — including ▲satellite data preprocessing and ▲on-board AI technology. In particular, in-depth discussions were held on measures to increase data accessibility and strengthen students’ practical capabilities, including designating ‘data safe zones’ to enable the use for educational purposes of satellite data that had previously been difficult to access due to security concerns.

Hallim Technical High School (HW) × Cheju Halla University (SW/AI) × Companies (Data) Alliance

A convergence education model encompassing both hardware (HW) and software (SW) was also presented. ‘Hallim Technical High School,’ which excels in hardware education such as drone and aircraft manufacturing, and ‘Cheju Halla University,’ responsible for software education in AI and data analysis, agreed to collaborate to build a systematic education roadmap from foundational to advanced levels.

Through this, local government and companies pledged to actively support building a ‘space talent pipeline’ from high school through university, creating a virtuous cycle in which Jeju youth receive specialized education locally, find employment in local aerospace companies, and settle in the region.

Young Joon Lee, Head of the Core Talent Development Division at Cheju Halla University’s RISE Business Division, stated, “For Jeju’s space industry to succeed, developing people must come before erecting buildings. This workshop is the first step in transplanting the ‘real technology’ companies need into university education. Going forward, we will provide living education, including projects where students analyze Jeju’s satellite data to directly solve the region’s environmental and transportation problems.”

The Cheju Halla University RISE Business Division plans to expand company-linked projects (PBL) and certified education programs based on these discussions, working to make Jeju the hub of aerospace education in Korea.