Daejeon Metropolitan City and the Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education are launching Korea's first "contract-based specialized high school" program in the biohealth sector.
On March 3, the city and education office held an entrance ceremony for the first class of students at Daejeon Life Science High School, which was designated as a contract-based specialized high school, marking the official start of operations.
To proactively address workforce demands in the rapidly growing bio industry, Daejeon formed a consortium with the Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education, Daejeon Life Science High School, Alteogen, Daejeon Techno Park, and Chungnam National University. The consortium was selected through a public competition in June last year.
The "contract-based specialized high school" program is a Ministry of Education initiative in which local governments, education offices, specialized high schools, industries, and universities sign agreements to operate region-specific curricula designed to cultivate talent tailored to local industrial needs.
The city plans to invest a total of 75 billion won (including 1.5 billion won from municipal funds) over five years from this year through 2030. The funding will support field practice-centered curricula, industry-linked programs, and employment support systems. These initiatives aim to help students develop into skilled professionals who meet the practical demands of regional bio companies upon graduation.
"The launch of a contract-based specialized high school in the biohealth sector is a significant milestone for strengthening Daejeon's bio industry competitiveness," said Choi Sung-ah, Vice Mayor for Political, Economic, and Science Affairs of Daejeon. "We will actively support students in growing into key talent who will lead the future of Daejeon, Korea's science capital."