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Dongseo University Officially Launches STELLAR Arts Institute, Integrating the Minerva Innovation Model
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2026-06-22 10:16
Dongseo University Officially Launches STELLAR Arts Institute, Integrating the Minerva Innovation Model
A New Future-Oriented Creative Arts Education Platform
Combining 30 Years of Specialized Expertise
Dongseo University has officially launched the STELLAR Arts Institute, a future-oriented creative arts college that consolidates the university’s 30 years of specialized strengths into a single educational platform. The initiative aims to respond to the rapid changes of the AI era and the increasingly boundaryless nature of the creative industries.
On June 10, Dongseo University held an inaugural symposium and official launch ceremony at the Centum Campus Convention Hall, unveiling its vision for innovative arts education built upon a strategic partnership with the globally recognized educational innovation organization, the Minerva Project.
Roundtable Participants The symposium featured distinguished guests including:
- Ken Nah, Master Designer of Busan Metropolitan City /Won Kwang-Yeon, Emeritus Professor of the Graduate School of Culture Technology, KAIST /Park Kwang-Soo, Chairman of the Busan International Film Festival /Sun Lijun, Director of the China Animation Research Institute at Beijing Film Academy /Lee Soon-jong, Emeritus Professor of the College of Fine Arts, Seoul National University /Yoshimi Kurata, Professor of Manga Studies at the Faculty of Architecture and Arts, Otemae University, Japan
An Unprecedented Integration of Three Specialized Colleges
The STELLAR Arts Institute represents the culmination of over 30 years of Dongseo University’s achievements in cultural content, design, and arts education, boldly integrating them into a single academic structure.
The launch goes beyond organizational restructuring. Through its strategic partnership with the Minerva Project, one of the world's leading educational innovation organizations, the university has established the foundation for a future-oriented curriculum.
By 2027, the institute plans to officially launch as a fully integrated creative arts college, offering 17 majors and enrolling approximately 770 new students annually.
In the keynote presentation during the symposium, Chang Joo-young, Chair of the STELLAR Arts Institute Establishment Committee, identified three major challenges facing contemporary arts education:
- - Rapid changes in career pathways and increasing job displacement risks
- - Fragmented academic disciplines that fail to reflect real-world demands
- - Fundamental shifts in creative processes brought about by AI technologies
To address these challenges, the institute adopted the name "STELLAR", moving beyond the meaning of stella ("star") to embrace the adjective meaning "outstanding" or "exceptional." The final letter, "R," represents Resilient Talent—individuals who continuously learn, adapt, and evolve amid uncertainty and technological transformation.
The institute's mission is to cultivate "irreplaceable talent" capable of thriving in an AI-driven future.
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Core Values and Educational Vision
- - Spirituality – Positive influence
- - Technology – The language of creation
- - Excellence – Professionalism and excellence
- - Leadership – Collaboration and leadership
- - Literacy – New forms of literacy
- - Asia No.1 – Global competitiveness
- - Resilience – Adaptability and resilience
These values will serve as the foundation for all educational programs and initiatives.
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Educational Framework for an Innovative Arts Institution
To turn its vision into reality, the STELLAR Arts Institute will operate through four key educational pillars:
1. Borderless Academic Structure
A flexible academic system that allows students to explore their potential across disciplinary boundaries.
2. Competency-Based Education
An educational model that focuses on developing and accessing essential capabilities rather than merely mastering tools.
3. Active and Experiential Learning
Learning extends beyond the classroom through active engagement and real-world projects.
4. Social Impact
Creative work is evaluated not only by artistic merit but also by its contribution to society and communities.
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Building Durable Skills for the AI Era
A key feature of the curriculum is the Foundation Course, designed for first-year students to develop what the institute calls "Durable Skills"—the core competencies required for long-term success in the AI era.
Students will strengthen skills such as:
- - Critical thinking
- - Creative problem-solving
- - Effective communication
- - Collaboration
- - Systems thinking
- - Ethical judgment
After completing the foundation stage, students will progress through a four-tier curriculum structure: Foundation → Creative Core → Major Core → Specialization. This pathway is designed to guide students from broad interdisciplinary knowledge to deep professional expertise. During a subsequent lecture, Professor Lee Soon-jong of Seoul National University emphasized:
"The more AI becomes capable of analyzing patterns, the more essential uniquely human abilities—such as a sense of community, cultural understanding, and ethical judgment—will become central to arts education."
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Recognition of Director Im Kwon-taek and Announcement of AI Animation <Seopyeonje>
During the official launch ceremony, Dongseo University President Jekuk Chang declared the university’s ambition:
"Starting from Busan, we announce our leap forward as a global hub for arts education that will lead Asia and the world."
A special moment followed to honor the university's artistic heritage and visualize its future vision.
Then in recognition of his lifelong contributions and dedication to Korean cinema, a commemorative award was presented to legendary Korean filmmaker Im Kwon-taek. President Chang personally stepped down from the stage to escort Director Im, pledging that the master's creative spirit would remain a core asset of the STELLAR Arts Institute.
The ceremony also featured the announcement of a special project symbolizing the fusion of tradition and advanced technology: an AI-animated reinterpretation of Director Im's 1993 masterpiece, Seopyeonje, which received enthusiastic praise from attendees.
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Support from Minerva Project Founder Ben Nelson
In a video message, Ben Nelson, Founder and CEO of the Minerva Project, expressed strong support for the initiative:
"The STELLAR Arts Institute will establish an unprecedented new standard for creative arts education in Asia—one that develops the ability to think, apply, transfer knowledge, and continuously learn."
Appointment of International Advisory Professors
The launch ceremony also officially appointed five distinguished scholars as advisory professors of the STELLAR Arts Institute:
- Lee Soon-jong (Seoul National University) /Park Kwang-soo (Busan International Film Festival) /Won Kwang-yeon (KAIST) /Sun Lijun (Beijing Film Academy) /Yoshimi Kurata (Otemae University, Japan)
A Vision for Future Global Talent
Closing the event, Chang Joo-young, Chair of the STELLAR Arts Institute Establishment Committee, shared the institute’s vision:
"Just as it is written that the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever, we will provide a learning ecosystem where students can discover their own unique light and grow into global leaders who illuminate the paths of others."
