Starting Next Year, Junior Colleges Will Be Able to Operate 'Professional Technical Master's Programs'

Ministry of Education Announces '2022 Academic Year Master of Professional Technology Program Basic Plan'
Applications for Approval and Operation Plan of Master of Professional Technology Program Accepted Until October 31
Support Focused on Universities Selected for Meister University Pilot Operation Project

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Starting next year, junior colleges will be able to operate specialized technical master's programs that provide vocational education at the master's level.

On the 26th, the Ministry of Education announced the "2022 Academic Year Junior College Specialized Technical Master's Program Basic Plan" to establish a new vocational system for cultivating specialized technical talents.

This plan was formulated following the enforcement of the revised Higher Education Act and its enforcement decree, which provide the basis for establishing and operating specialized technical master's programs at junior colleges to introduce Meister Universities.

Heads of junior colleges intending to establish and operate specialized technical master's programs must secure at least five faculty members with expertise in the relevant field and submit an operation plan detailing the specifics of program management.

The admission quota for the specialized technical master's program can be increased by reducing the junior college's associate degree admission quota on a one-to-one basis.

Applicants to the specialized technical master's program must hold a bachelor's degree (or an equivalent level of academic achievement recognized by law) and have at least three years of work experience in the related field.

According to standards set by school regulations, students can earn a specialized technical master's degree, which is recognized as equivalent to a master's degree, through theses, patent applications, research project outcomes with industry, and other achievements.

The Ministry of Education plans to evaluate the capability to produce outcomes as a Meister University model by checking whether recruitment of new students and program operation are feasible, considering the start of the specialized technical master's program operation in March next year. The evaluation will be divided into 7 areas and 16 review sections, conducting quantitative assessments (5 indicators) focusing on legal requirements and qualitative evaluations (36 indicators) on the overall operation plan of the specialized technical master's program.

Applications for approval and operation plans for establishing specialized technical master's programs will be accepted until October 31. Final approval decisions will be notified to applicant universities by December 31.

Approval for the 2022 academic year specialized technical master's programs will be promoted mainly for universities selected for this year's Meister University pilot operation project to support new student recruitment, operation of all Meister University curricula, and system improvements.

Meister Universities refer to universities that organize and operate job-centered curricula (short-term, associate degree, major deepening courses, specialized technical master's programs) in some departments to cultivate highly skilled specialized technical talents.