The Catholic Metaversity (hereinafter "CU12") held a launching ceremony and began a full-fledged operation on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. The ceremony, which was held both virtually and in person, was attended by university presidents from catholic universities throughout Korea. In addition, staff from participating universities and CU12 students took part in the ceremony via YouTube Live to commemorate the launch of CU12.

CU12 is a university that aims to break down university boundaries and move toward a futuristic metaversity through the sharing and cooperation of cultural studies education. It was founded in October of last year under the lead of the Korea Catholic University President Council (chairman, Catholic University of Korea President Won Jongchul) with the goal of improving university education and cultivating all-around talents through the implementation of a futuristic cultural studies education model.  The participating universities include Catholic University of Korea, Catholic Kwandong University, Catholic Kkottongnae University, Catholic Sangji College, Gwangju Catholic University, Daegu Catholic University, Daejeon Catholic University, Mokpo Catholic University, Catholic University of Pusan, Sogang University, Suwon Catholic University, and Incheon Catholic University.

The first semester of CU 12 successfully kicked off on Monday, February 20, 2023, with 1,500 students, from sophomores to seniors, enrolled from 12 catholic universities throughout Korea. Students can take high-quality cultural studies classes from various universities online through CU12, with no time or space constraints, while actively communicating and exchanging knowledge with other university students from all over Korea.  

"We shall make a concerted effort to develop the Catholic Metaversity of Korea as the university of the future," said the chairman of the Korea Catholic University President Council and Catholic University of Korea President Won Jongchul in his congratulatory remarks. "As Korea's first voluntary cultural studies sharing university, the Catholic Metaversity is a futuristic university with global competitive edges in terms of quality," said Koo Bonman, CU12's first president. "With a promising start and a large student body, CU12 will become a future university that shares cultural studies with universities beyond Korea, expanding to prestigious ones around the world.”