Chungnam National University’s College of Nursing and Chungnam National University Hospital have joined forces to conduct joint research on artificial intelligence (AI)-based healthcare and foster professionals in the field.

The university said the two institutions signed a partnership agreement on Tuesday to expand cooperation in AI-based healthcare education, research and technology development.

The agreement was signed by Park Myong-hwa, dean of the college, and Bok Soo-kyung, president of the hospital.

The university noted that the agreement aims to establish a sustainable cooperation framework linking education, research and industry to keep pace with rapid technological advances in AI and digital healthcare.

It added that the partnership will be supported by the government’s Regional Innovation System and Education (RISE) program, which aims to drive regional growth.

The college and the hospital plan to strengthen their research and development capabilities through industry-academia-research collaboration and joint research.

Both sides will also provide education linked to industry, academia and research institutes, nurture local talent in the healthcare sector, and enhance the capabilities of incumbent workers.

In addition, the two organizations will promote the development of innovative ideas in AI-based healthcare and foster aspiring entrepreneurs. They also agreed to share equipment and facilities and promote collaboration for regional innovation.

The college and the hospital also plan to jointly develop a curriculum for advancing AI-powered healthcare technologies and cultivating practice-oriented professionals who meet the needs of the healthcare industry.

“Through this agreement, we will further strengthen education and research cooperation in AI-based healthcare by linking nursing education with clinical practice and lay the foundation for cultivating practice-oriented talent that meets the needs of the field,” Park said.

She added, “Building on our continued cooperation with Chungnam National University Hospital, we will actively identify collaborative projects for joint research and regional innovation in AI and digital healthcare.”

As part of the agreement, the college and the hospital plan to organize a joint visit to the K-Hospital + Healthtech Fair, to be held at Coex in southern Seoul from Aug. 19 to 21.

The visit will be attended by fourth-year nursing students and members of the hospital’s nursing team.