Renowned scholars from South Korea and abroad have gathered in Seoul for an international conference to discuss a project to foster research-oriented world class universities.

The Education, Science and Technology Ministry and the National Research Foundation of Korea on Thursday held the conference in southern Seoul to announce the government’s achievements of its World Class University Project. The aim of the project is to attract prestigious foreign scholars to South Korean universities in order to develop domestic education and research methods.

Scholars participating in the conference, including Nobel Laureate in Medicine Louis Ignarro, presented their opinions and evaluations on the project.

The government has been funding the project since 2008 and will continue to back it through 2012, spending some 825 billion won total. The project also aims to increase the nation's global competitiveness.