Prepare and Announce Basic Staffing Adjustment Plan by November
Approval Notification for Staffing Scheduled from February Next Year
On the 13th, students are attending classes at the Mirae Baeknyeon Hall of Sangmyung University Seoul Campus. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@
[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The Ministry of Education has eased regulations on enrollment quotas for advanced departments to cultivate semiconductor talent. Starting as early as the 2024 academic year, more universities are expected to establish semiconductor departments.
On the 19th, the Ministry of Education announced a legislative notice for amendments to the "University Establishment and Operation Regulations" as a follow-up measure to foster semiconductor-related talent. The criteria that required meeting all four major conditions (campus land, classrooms, faculty, and basic property for profit use) when establishing or expanding advanced departments have been relaxed so that only a 100% faculty securing rate is required. For national universities, the full-time faculty securing rate standard has been eased from 80% to 70%. However, even if the faculty securing rate standard is met, approval for expanding the enrollment quota of advanced departments will only be granted if the curriculum and laboratory practice equipment are also in place.
The Ministry of Education plans to prepare and announce a basic plan for quota adjustments in November, accept applications until January next year, and begin the approval process for quota adjustment applications from the end of February. When increasing quotas by utilizing existing transfer student vacancies, the Ministry also requires review by the Advanced Field Department Establishment and Expansion Review Committee. A Ministry of Education official explained, "The 100% faculty securing rate lowers the minimum qualification for universities wishing to expand quotas, but other conditions must also be met to secure the requested enrollment."
Not only universities in the metropolitan area but also those outside the metropolitan area are actively promoting the establishment of semiconductor departments. Kyungpook National University plans to recruit freshmen from the 2025 academic year by establishing a semiconductor contract department with Samsung Electronics. Pukyong National University has set a goal to establish a semiconductor department and graduate school with a scale of 250 students in the 2024 academic year. Additionally, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology plans to introduce a semiconductor contract department, and Daegu Catholic University is also pursuing the establishment of a semiconductor college.
Earlier, at the end of June, the Ministry of Education surveyed 40 universities regarding the demand for expanding semiconductor departments. Fourteen universities in the metropolitan area responded with an intention to increase enrollment by 1,266 students, and 13 universities outside the metropolitan area responded with an intention to increase by 611 students. However, since securing professors is crucial to meet the faculty securing rate, competition among universities aiming to establish or expand semiconductor departments for faculty recruitment is expected to intensify.
To expand the pool of faculty with semiconductor-related expertise, industrial personnel must be secured as faculty members. The 100% faculty securing rate standard includes adjunct and invited faculty. The government is pursuing measures to improve faculty appointment qualification standards to allow industrial personnel to concurrently hold faculty positions, and on the 4th, Representative Yang Hyangja proposed an amendment to the Advanced Industry Special Act.
A Ministry of Education official explained, "With the bill proposed in the National Assembly and universities improving faculty appointment qualification standards through their academic regulations and articles of association, the criteria for concurrent positions will also be relaxed."
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