Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME) said on the 25th that it is recruiting students for the 2026 CEO premium academy, a hands-on training program for small and midsize enterprise chief executives.
The CEO premium academy has provided training to more than 5,000 small and midsize enterprise heads at six training centers nationwide since 2009. In particular, it is KOSME's core training project centered on practical, tailored courses, serving as a guide to government policy.
Through this year's revamp, the focus will be further placed on strengthening real-world response capabilities and networks. Together with experts in AI and the economy, who are hard to encounter in existing curricula, it will provide management solutions that can be applied immediately in the field by offering: ▲ economic insights to respond to a rapidly changing environment ▲ cultivation of strategic thinking through humanities courses such as psychology and art ▲ enhanced insight through SME-tailored tax and legal knowledge.
The biggest benefits given to participating corporations are broad human networking and policy linkage. Through the CEO premium academy alumni association, which has a nationwide network, it offers a venue for exchanges across various industries. In addition, as a required part of the curriculum, it will provide guidance on policy programs such as policy funds and consulting, and actively support corporations so they can use them to achieve results.
Starting with this course, KOSME plans in the second half of this year to establish a new course for CEOs and executives and employees that covers all stages and types of business succession, and to grow into the lead training institution for SME business succession.
Kang Seok-jin, chair of KOSME, said, "This year's CEO premium academy focuses on strengthening capabilities to lead the AI era and boost corporations' productivity," adding, "Through field-centered training by top instructors and policy linkage, we will actively support efforts to create changes that corporations can feel."