Gifted schools affiliated with science and technology institutes will be newly established in seven areas that do not have such schools.

The Ministry of Science and ICT said on Thursday it will run a call for applications for the designation and conversion of science institute-affiliated gifted schools so regional students can grow into future innovators by using the education and research capabilities of science and technology institutes.

Gifted schools are educational institutions designated and established under the Gifted Education Promotion Act. Unlike regular schools, they have autonomy in academic operations, including a non-grade system and flexible curriculum design.

There are currently eight gifted schools nationwide. The only gifted school affiliated with a science and technology institute is the Korea Science Academy of KAIST in Busan.

The call targets seven areas without a gifted school: Gangwon, South Gyeongsang, North Gyeongsang, Ulsan, North Jeolla, Jeju and South Chungcheong. The ministry plans to convert about three existing local high schools into gifted schools after a selection review.

Areas seeking to participate must form a consultative body involving the local education office, the school, the local government and a science and technology institute. The body must draw up an operating plan covering the curriculum, school management system, financial support and facility construction, and submit it to the ministry by Oct. 16. Each provincial and metropolitan education office can recommend only one school per area after gathering opinions from the local community and school members.

Selected schools will introduce advanced education linked to faculty at science and technology institutes, creative research, project-based learning, and experiments and practical training using advanced research facilities. They will also run specialized industry research projects and entrepreneurship education linked to local industry, academia and research institutions.

The ministry expects that science gifted schools combining the education and research infrastructure of science and technology institutes with regional innovation capabilities will nurture talent to lead advanced science and technology fields such as AI, bio and aerospace.

In November, the ministry will assess applicant schools on the local community's willingness to convert and on school operation and curricula, and select about three schools. It then plans final designation around December after review by the Education Ministry's Central Committee for the Promotion of Gifted Education.

First Vice Minister Hyeok-chae Koo (구혁채) of the Ministry of Science and ICT said, "This conversion into gifted schools will be a starting point to strengthen regional talent development pathways and newly seek directions for fostering future core talent." He added, "We will support education offices, local governments and science and technology institutes so they can cooperate to create a new model for science gifted education."