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6th Busan ANCHOR Committee Meeting to Be Held: Universities Join Forces to Drive the Growth of Busan as a Global Maritime Capital

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Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Chun Jae-soo, announced that it will convene the 6th Busan Metropolitan City ANCHOR Committee meeting at 10:00 a.m. today, July 23, in the Main Conference Room on the first floor of Busan City Hall.

The Busan ANCHOR Committee was established to place local universities at the center of regional innovation and discuss major issues concerning their development. Composed of representatives from Busan Metropolitan City, the Busan Metropolitan Council, universities, industry, the Busan Metropolitan City Office of Education, and regional innovation organizations, it serves as the highest decision-making body responsible for reviewing and approving major matters related to the ANCHOR initiative.

Approximately 80 people will attend the meeting, including Mayor Chun Jae-soo, chair of the committee; Pusan National University President Choi Jae-won, co-chair of the committee; presidents of local universities; Busan Metropolitan City Superintendent of Education Kim Seok-joon; committee members from the business community; and representatives of participating universities.

The policy was renamed from the Regional Innovation System and Education initiative, or RISE, to the Regional Growth Talent Development System, or ANCHOR. The new name emphasizes the policy’s objective of achieving balanced national growth by establishing a system that enables talented people to remain and build their lives in their regions, while also conveying the meaning of an anchor firmly rooted in the community.

At the meeting, the committee plans to review the amended second-year project plans submitted by each university. These plans reflect budget adjustments and supplementary measures based on internal evaluation results. The committee will also review Busan’s first-year annual ANCHOR performance report, prepared for the Ministry of Education’s evaluation of first-year outcomes in 16 cities and provinces.

Busan’s ANCHOR initiative began in 2025 with a first-year budget of KRW 134.1 billion. Following internal evaluations conducted from April through June, each university received an evaluation grade. Full-scale implementation will begin in July based on the amended plans, which incorporate improvements identified during the evaluation process and project restructuring associated with the transition to the ANCHOR system.

Busan’s annual report for the Ministry of Education’s first-year performance evaluation focuses on outcomes achieved through a higher education funding system designed to promote mutually beneficial growth between universities and the region. The system was developed through horizontal governance among Busan Metropolitan City, the dedicated implementing organization, and local universities, with specialization tailored to different types of universities and connections to regional industries.

Local universities also participated directly in drafting the report, demonstrating the shared commitment of Busan Metropolitan City and its universities to successfully implementing the ANCHOR system through a cooperative partnership.

After incorporating the views discussed at today’s committee meeting, Busan Metropolitan City will submit the report by the end of July. On-site, in-person evaluations will be conducted by region in August, and the overall evaluation process is expected to conclude by the end of September.

Based on the annual review results, funding will be redistributed from a total budget of KRW 400 billion according to the evaluation grades of the 16 cities and provinces. The final second-year project budget for each university is expected to be determined around October.

In line with the national government’s restructuring of RISE and transition to the ANCHOR system, Busan Metropolitan City will comprehensively reorganize its program into a student- and talent-centered Busan ANCHOR system.

To achieve this, the city will strengthen the dedicated implementation framework among Busan Metropolitan City, the implementing organization, and universities, while further enhancing communication and cooperation. In particular, it will concentrate investment in high-performing projects, including the expansion of contract-based academic departments linked to growth engines in the southeastern region, thereby establishing a sustainable foundation for regional innovation and growth in which future technologies and talent reinforce one another.

In accordance with revisions to the Higher Education Act and other relevant legislation, Busan Metropolitan City also plans to reorganize the current ANCHOR Committee. Participation will be expanded to include representatives from universities, the economic and industrial sectors, regional innovation organizations, young people, and students, while the committee will be restructured to consist of approximately 20 members.

Through this broader structure, the committee will continue to hold diverse and balanced discussions not only on the ANCHOR initiative but also on the overall development of higher education in the region.

The lead universities will also report on the progress of major national projects currently being pursued this year in connection with the Five Hubs and Three Special Zones growth engines. These include the Flagship National University Package Support Program, the Super-Regional Shared University Program, and the Super-Regional Growth Engine Talent Development Program.

Local universities, the business community, and regional innovation organizations will unite in support of bringing these major national projects to Busan and ensuring their successful implementation in close partnership with the region.

The Flagship National University Package Support Program is designed to transform regional flagship national universities into hubs for cooperation among local government, industry, academia, and research institutions, thereby contributing to balanced national growth. Three flagship national universities outside the Seoul metropolitan area will be selected, with each receiving approximately KRW 70 billion annually.

The Super-Regional Shared University Program operates joint curricula across broader regions by combining the strengths of universities under the leadership of regional flagship institutions. KRW 21 billion has been allocated to the southeastern region.

The Super-Regional Growth Engine Talent Development Program promotes integrated industry-academia talent development in partnership with companies operating in growth-engine sectors across broader regions. Six models will be selected, with each receiving approximately KRW 10 billion to KRW 15 billion annually.

Mayor Chun Jae-soo said, “The growth of local universities is the single most important driving force in accelerating Busan’s emergence as a global maritime capital.”

He added, “The core purpose of the ANCHOR system extends beyond simply supporting universities. It is to establish a foundation on which universities, businesses, and local communities can grow together, enabling young people to put down roots in Busan and build their futures here. I hope our universities will become reliable partners that advance alongside the local community.”

Mayor Chun concluded, “We will provide full support so that Busan’s ANCHOR model can deliver tangible results as a leading regional innovation model for balanced national development.”