Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, or UNIST, said it will launch a new undergraduate division, the GRIT Interdisciplinary Program, in 2027, aiming to help students design their own majors and academic paths. The school said the program is meant to move beyond department-centered education in an era when artificial intelligence can quickly produce answers, and instead strengthen students’ ability to form questions and map out lines of inquiry.
UNIST said on May 6 it will separately admit about 10 freshmen a year starting in 2027 through a dedicated GRIT admissions track.
The program will be built around project-based inquiry education. Students will combine foundational and research-oriented courses to create individualized curricula, then complete both personal projects and team-based interdisciplinary projects. Each student will be assigned a dedicated faculty mentor for one-on-one guidance throughout their studies and research.
Kim Cheol-min, head of the GRIT Interdisciplinary Program, said the school is preparing an approach in which “one persistent question a student asks can become a major explored over four years, and a record of failure and trying again becomes a personal portfolio.” In the AI era, he said, it is important not only to find answers quickly but also to endure uncertainty and “design questions” in areas without clear answers.
UNIST said it will also differentiate evaluation. The program will use a P/NR (Pass/No Record) system to reduce the burden of failure and encourage ambitious inquiry. Graduates will receive either a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary science or interdisciplinary engineering. The major title designed by the student will be officially listed on the academic transcript.
UNIST introduced the GRIT program’s education philosophy to students and residents during “UNIST Open Stage 1,” held May 6 at the main auditorium of its administration building.
Lee Sedol, a UNIST special professor, referred to his experience teaching a board game design course and interacting with students. “If you make rules, set criteria for choices, and think about why you make those judgments, your experience with baduk naturally connects to other fields,” he said.
Lee Chang-ho, described as a baduk titleholder, echoed the program’s emphasis on student-driven inquiry, saying that a student’s persistent question can become a four-year field of study and that a record of failure and renewed attempts can become a personal portfolio. He also said that in the AI era, the attitude of designing questions matters.
UNIST President Park Jong-rae said universities should be places that build students’ capacity to create their own questions, endure failure and find solutions on their own. He said the event, using baduk as a symbolic medium, showed that uniquely human perseverance, creativity and judgment are key conditions for future talent.
UNIST said it plans to continue introducing the GRIT Interdisciplinary Program to residents and students through a range of events. Later this month, it said, a screening and artist talk are scheduled with media artist Kim A-young, a UNIST special professor.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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