"Demand-Oriented Operation of Various Departments... Providing Differentiated Education for Adult Learners"

Interview with Kim Jung-ryeol, President of the Korea Distance University Council

Advanced Facilities Equip General Graduate Schools
Significant Progress in Educational Services Upon Establishment

70% of Enrolled Students Are Working Professionals
Responsible for Lifelong Learning Beyond Degrees, Including Skill Enhancement and Retirement Planning
Regrets Limited Budget Support from the Ministry of Education

Jungryul Kim, President of the Korea Distance University Council (President of Cyber Hankuk University of Foreign Studies)

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] "Many people still perceive online education as less effective than face-to-face education. To dispel this prejudice, we are striving for educational innovation by developing content applying the latest technology, researching excellent teaching and learning methods, and developing curricula to prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution."

Kim Jung-ryeol, chairman of the Korea Distance University Council, said in an interview with Asia Economy on the 16th, "If general graduate schools and specialized graduate schools are established at distance universities, differentiated educational opportunities will be provided to many adult learners." Kim, who is also the president of Cyber Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, added, "Through the operation of various departments centered on demand, it is expected that groundbreaking educational opportunities will be created to nurture talents essential in the untact era." He emphasized, "Equipped with advanced facilities such as real-time video seminars and thesis advising systems, if general graduate schools are established, education services utilizing an advanced system will be provided."

Currently, nine distance universities operate 16 specialized graduate schools and graduate about 1,000 students annually. The average admission competition rate is 2 to 1, and most admitted students are in their 30s and 40s, working in professional occupations.

It is no exaggeration to say that distance universities have been responsible for higher lifelong education. Looking at the age distribution, 20s account for 30%, 30s 20%, 40s 25%, and those over 50 make up 15%. Students holding associate and bachelor's degrees also account for 35%. This indicates that many people enroll in distance universities not only for degrees but also for lifelong learning. Chairman Kim said, "About 70% of distance university students are working professionals." He explained, "These students choose distance universities to enhance their expertise at their current jobs, change jobs, start businesses, or plan their lives after retirement while studying." Unlike offline universities, distance universities have also established distinctive departments such as AI convergence-related departments, YouTuber departments, and online commerce departments reflecting the rapidly changing societal demands." In the past three years, 21 departments have been newly established or reorganized annually at distance universities.

Budget support from the education authorities remains insufficient. Compared to offline universities, very little budget has been allocated. So far this year, the largest budget of 2.92 billion KRW has been supported. Despite leading lifelong education, distance universities have not even been qualified to apply for the Ministry of Education’s lifelong education system support projects.

Chairman Kim stated, "To strengthen competitiveness in the future, innovative support policy projects that are independent and differentiated for online education should be discovered and promoted by distance universities." He expressed, "As the boundary between online and offline is breaking down and educational trends are changing, financial and administrative support for distance universities should not be spared."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.