[CONFERENCE] Universities urged to reshape education, cultivate human skills for AI age

Education experts and industry leaders urged universities to rethink their role in the AI era at the first panel of the 2026 Korea Times Global Conference in Seoul. They said higher education should move beyond knowledge transmission and focus on human-centered skills such as critical thinking, ethics and problem definition. Panelists also called for faster curriculum updates, deeper industry-academic collaboration and AI-native campuses.

The panel was titled The human edge of AI: Reimagining global competitiveness in Korean universities.

Lee Ji-hyun said OECD research highlights curiosity, creativity, self-control, empathy and openness as critical future skills.

Lee Jae-wook warned that AI performance is advancing faster than human capabilities, widening the productivity gap among users.

Son Henny said universities and industry should collaboratively define new ecosystems and adopt AI natively across administration and operations.

Gregory C. Hill said universities should redesign assessments to test reasoning and thinking rather than knowledge regurgitation.

Published Sep 15, 2026 3:54 pm KST

Lee Ji-hyun, second from left, director of the artificial intelligence (AI) integrated talent development division at the Ministry of Education speaks during the 2026 Korea Times Global Conference at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry building in Seoul, Tuesday. From left are Choi Jae-boong, moderator and professor of interdisciplinary AI service design at Sungkyunkwan University; Lee; Lee Jae-wook, director of the AI Institute and professor of computer science and engineering at Seoul National University; Son Henny, head of AI education at local AI company Upstage; and Gregory C. Hill, chief administrative officer at the University of Utah Asia Campus. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Education experts and industry leaders called on universities to fundamentally rethink their roles in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), emphasizing that higher education must shift from traditional knowledge transmission to cultivating human-centered skills such as critical thinking, ethical responsibility and problem definition.

Speaking at the first panel discussion of the 2026 Korea Times Global Conference, titled “Beyond AI: Building human-centered leadership for next era,” panelists said that universities need to update their courses fast and try new things to keep up with rapid tech changes.

The session, titled "The human edge of AI: Reimagining global competitiveness in Korean universities," focused on how academic institutions can build human-centered AI campuses by integrating technology into education, research and the overall student experience.

Participants in a 2026 Korea Times Global Conference panel discussion pose at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry building in Seoul, Tuesday. From left are Choi Jae-boong, professor of interdisciplinary artificial intelligence (AI) service design at Sungkyunkwan University; Lee Ji-hyun, director of the AI integrated talent development division at the Ministry of Education; Lee Jae-wook, director of the AI Institute & professor of computer science and engineering at Seoul National University; Son Henny, head of AI Education at local AI company Upstage; and Gregory C. Hill, chief administrative officer at the University of Utah Asia Campus. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Moderated by Choi Jae-boong, professor of interdisciplinary AI service design at Sungkyunkwan University, the discussion also highlighted the need to maximize human capabilities that AI cannot replace while deepening industry-academic collaboration.

Lee Ji-hyun, director of the AI Integrated Talent Development Division at the Ministry of Education, shared an experience where a senior official disagreed with her advice, saying universities should focus more on measurable results.

"In the past, when I suggested to a high-ranking official that university education should ultimately return to its essence and focus on human capabilities, I was dismissed," Lee said.

"Back then, I was told that in the AI era, universities should focus only on how many graduates they produce, not on building human skills. Today's focus on human-centered education lets me speak comfortably. Paradoxically, as AI advances, the core educational role of universities becomes even more important."

Lee Ji-hyun, director of the artificial intelligence (AI) integrated talent development division at Ministry of Education, speaks during a panel discussion session at the 2026 Korea Times Global Conference at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry building in Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Lee stressed that the role of higher education must shift from delivering knowledge to defining problems, asking questions and creating new social value.

The director added that OECD research highlights social-emotional skills such as curiosity, creativity, self-control, empathy and openness as critical traits for the future.

"These social-emotional skills, like curiosity and creativity, help students ask the right questions, build on what AI produces and avoid becoming overly dependent on technology," Lee said. "Universities must become frontier places where students can truly build these human capabilities."

Lee Jae-wook, director of the AI Institute & professor of computer science and engineering at Seoul National University, speaks during a panel discussion session at the 2026 Korea Times Global Conference at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry building in Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Lee Jae-wook, director of the AI Institute and professor of computer science and engineering at Seoul National University, said the rapid evolution of AI is widening the productivity gap among users based on their ability to interact with the technology.

"The performance of AI is developing so much faster than human capabilities, creating a massive productivity gap between users," Lee said. "Interaction with AI depends heavily on a person's experience and level of abstraction. Universities play a vital role in building these foundational blocks of knowledge and developing soft skills, leadership and human interaction through community."

He added that universities should become places where students can safely make mistakes, as fast tech changes are making it harder for young people to start their careers.

"Because society is changing so fast and there is no consensus yet on the right path, we must go through continuous loops of trial and error," Lee added. "Universities must serve as fertile soil for these mistakes.”

Son Henny, head of AI Education at local AI company Upstage, speaks during a panel discussion session at the 2026 Korea Times Global Conference at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry building in Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Son Henny, head of AI Education at a local AI company Upstage, emphasized that both industry and academia are operating on uncertain frontiers where new ecosystems must be defined collaboratively.

"Upstage operates at the very front line, constantly probing where the boundary lies," Son said. "Because these technologies are brand new, there are no established markets or ecosystems yet. We are continually defining what talent and players will be needed. Universities should join us in probing these boundaries by adopting AI natively across their administration and operations."

Son called for cultivating talent with entrepreneurship and ownership, asking students to lead their own lives and become “thinking partners” for companies.

"What we desperately need are people who can suggest their own roles within a company and offer their ideas on how to navigate the AI wave together," Son said.

"We need individuals who treat their lives with an entrepreneurial mindset. As AI transforms how we work, universities and industries must also digitize human experiential assets so AI agents can better understand organizational contexts."

Gregory C. Hill, chief administrative officer at the University of Utah Asia Campus, speaks during a panel discussion session at the 2026 Korea Times Global Conference at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry building in Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Gregory C. Hill, chief administrative officer at the University of Utah Asia Campus, pointed out that universities are uniquely positioned to foster AI talent because they are built around the discipline of asking questions.

"A university is a collection of people who are professionally trained to ask questions," Hill said. "Professors spend their lives asking questions and seeking answers, creating a diverse community of learners. It is the perfect place to develop AI talent and prepare students to become meaningful contributors to society."

He warned against traditional metrics and rigid restrictions, asking for new testing methods and a focus on ethics.

"We must shy away from extremes, neither relying too heavily on AI nor completely banning it," Hill said. "We have to redesign our assessments to make students better at reasoning and thinking through problems rather than relying on historical assessment tools like the SAT or LSAT that merely test knowledge regurgitation. You simply cannot outsource character as a function of AI training."

在首尔举行的2026年韩国时报全球大会首场小组讨论会上，教育专家和行业领袖敦促大学重新思考其在人工智能时代的角色。他们表示，高等教育应超越知识传授，更加注重以人为本的技能培养，例如批判性思维、伦理道德和问题定义能力。与会专家还呼吁加快课程更新，深化产学研合作，并建设人工智能原生校园。

小组讨论的主题是“人工智能的人文优势：重塑韩国大学的全球竞争力”。

李智贤表示，经合组织的研究强调好奇心、创造力、自控力、同理心和开放性是未来至关重要的技能。

李宰旭警告说，人工智能的性能提升速度超过了人类的能力，这加剧了用户之间的生产力差距。

Son Henny表示，大学和产业界应该共同定义新的生态系统，并在管理和运营中原生采用人工智能。

格雷戈里·C·希尔表示，大学应该重新设计评估方式，以测试推理和思考能力，而不是知识的死记硬背。

发布于2026年9月15日下午3:54（韩国标准时间）

周二，在首尔韩国工商会大楼举行的2026年《韩国时报》全球大会上，韩国教育部人工智能（AI）综合人才培养司司长李智贤（左二）发表讲话。左起依次为：主持人、成均馆大学跨学科人工智能服务设计教授崔在峰；李智贤；首尔大学人工智能研究院院长、计算机科学与工程教授李在旭；韩国本土人工智能公司Upstage人工智能教育负责人孙亨尼；以及犹他大学亚洲校区首席行政官格雷戈里·C·希尔。照片由《韩国时报》崔元硕拍摄。

教育专家和行业领袖呼吁大学从根本上重新思考其在人工智能（AI）时代的角色，强调高等教育必须从传统的知识传授转向培养以人为本的技能，例如批判性思维、道德责任和问题定义。

在 2026 年韩国时报全球大会的首场小组讨论会上，与会专家以“超越人工智能：为下一个时代构建以人为本的领导力”为主题，指出大学需要快速更新课程并尝试新事物，以跟上快速的技术变革。

本次会议的主题是“人工智能的人性化优势：重塑韩国大学的全球竞争力”，重点讨论了学术机构如何通过将技术融入教育、研究和学生的整体体验来构建以人为本的人工智能校园。

周二，在首尔韩国商工会议所大楼，参加2026年《韩国时报》全球大会小组讨论的与会者合影留念。从左至右依次为：成均馆大学跨学科人工智能（AI）服务设计教授崔在峰；韩国教育部人工智能综合人才培养司司长李智贤；首尔大学人工智能研究院院长兼计算机科学与工程教授李在旭；韩国本土人工智能公司Upstage人工智能教育负责人孙亨尼；以及犹他大学亚洲校区首席行政官格雷戈里·C·希尔。照片由《韩国时报》崔元硕拍摄。

本次讨论由成均馆大学跨学科人工智能服务设计教授崔在峰主持，讨论还强调了在深化产学研合作的同时，最大限度地发挥人工智能无法取代的人类能力的必要性。

教育部人工智能综合人才发展司司长李智贤分享了她遇到的一位高级官员不同意她的建议，认为大学应该更加注重可衡量的结果的经历。

李说：“过去，当我向一位高级官员建议大学教育最终应该回归其本质，注重培养人的能力时，我被驳回了。”

“当时有人告诉我，在人工智能时代，大学应该只关注毕业生的数量，而不是培养人的技能。如今，以人为本的教育理念让我可以畅所欲言。矛盾的是，随着人工智能的发展，大学的核心教育作用反而变得更加重要。”

韩国教育部人工智能（AI）综合人才培养司司长李智贤（Lee Ji-hyun）周二在首尔韩国工商会大楼举行的2026年《韩国时报》全球大会上出席小组讨论会并发表讲话。（《韩国时报》崔元硕摄）

李强调，高等教育的角色必须从传授知识转变为定义问题、提出问题和创造新的社会价值。

该主任补充说，经合组织的研究强调，好奇心、创造力、自控力、同理心和开放性等社交情感技能是未来至关重要的特质。

李说：“这些社交情感技能，例如好奇心和创造力，能够帮助学生提出正确的问题，在人工智能成果的基础上进行拓展，并避免过度依赖技术。大学必须成为学生真正培养这些人类能力的先锋之地。”

首尔大学人工智能研究院院长兼计算机科学与工程教授李在旭（Lee Jae-wook）周二在首尔韩国工商会大楼举行的2026年《韩国时报》全球大会上发表小组讨论。照片由《韩国时报》崔元硕（Choi Won-suk）拍摄。

首尔国立大学人工智能研究所所长、计算机科学与工程教授李在旭表示，人工智能的快速发展正在扩大用户之间因与该技术互动能力不同而造成的生产力差距。

李说：“人工智能的性能发展速度远远超过人类的能力，导致用户之间生产力差距巨大。与人工智能的互动很大程度上取决于人的经验和抽象思维能力。大学在构建这些基础知识、培养软技能、领导力以及通过社群互动来发展人际交往能力方面发挥着至关重要的作用。”

他还补充说，大学应该成为学生可以安全犯错的地方，因为技术的快速变革使得年轻人更难开始他们的职业生涯。

李补充道：“因为社会变化太快，而且对于正确的方向还没有达成共识，我们必须不断地试错。大学必须成为这些错误的沃土。”

韩国本土人工智能公司Upstage的人工智能教育负责人孙亨尼（Son Henny）周二在首尔韩国商工会议所大楼举行的2026年《韩国时报》全球大会的小组讨论会上发言。（《韩国时报》崔元硕摄）

本地人工智能公司 Upstage 的人工智能教育负责人 Son Henny 强调，产业界和学术界都在不确定的前沿领域运作，必须共同定义新的生态系统。

“Upstage始终走在技术前沿，不断探索技术边界，”Son说道。“由于这些技术都是全新的，目前还没有成熟的市场或生态系统。我们正在持续定义未来需要哪些人才和参与者。大学应该加入我们，通过在行政和运营中原生应用人工智能来探索这些边界。”

孙正义呼吁培养具有创业精神和主人翁意识的人才，要求学生自主生活，成为企业的“思考伙伴”。

孙正义表示：“我们迫切需要的是那些能够提出自己在公司中的角色，并就如何共同应对人工智能浪潮提出想法的人。”

我们需要那些以创业精神对待生活的人。随着人工智能改变我们的工作方式，大学和企业也必须将人类的经验资产数字化，以便人工智能代理能够更好地理解组织环境。

周二，犹他大学亚洲校区首席行政官格雷戈里·C·希尔在首尔韩国工商会大楼举行的2026年《韩国时报》全球大会小组讨论会上发言。（《韩国时报》崔元硕摄）

犹他大学亚洲校区首席行政官格雷戈里·C·希尔指出，大学在培养人工智能人才方面具有独特的优势，因为大学本身就是围绕着提出问题的学科而建立的。

希尔说：“大学是由一群受过专业训练、善于提问的人组成的。教授们毕生致力于提问和寻求答案，从而创造了一个多元化的学习社群。这里是培养人工智能人才、使学生成为对社会有贡献的人的理想场所。”

他警告不要采用传统的衡量标准和僵化的限制，要求采用新的测试方法并注重伦理道德。

希尔说：“我们必须避免走极端，既不能过度依赖人工智能，也不能完全禁止它。我们必须重新设计评估方法，让学生更好地进行推理和思考，而不是依赖像SAT或LSAT这样仅仅测试知识背诵的传统评估工具。你不能仅仅依靠人工智能训练来培养学生的品格。”