Looking for Universities to Co-Develop 'E-commerce Experts' Together

Operating Expenses for Participating Universities' Exclusive Programs and Scholarships for Outstanding Graduates

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Cheol-hyun] The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (Minister Park Young-sun, hereinafter referred to as the Ministry) and the Small and Medium Business Corporation (Chairman Kim Hak-do, hereinafter referred to as SBC) announced on the 15th that they are recruiting 'Universities Participating in the 2021 E-commerce Specialized University Designation and Operation Project.' The E-commerce Specialized University project is a government-university cooperation project aimed at training enrolled students as online export experts through specialized educational courses such as understanding e-commerce and e-commerce platforms, and e-commerce practice.

The target applicants are about seven domestic universities with 2- to 4-year programs that can recruit more than 50 enrolled students annually (25 students per semester). The project period is one year, from March to December 2021. Applicant universities must be able to organize a regular curriculum with more than 90 hours annually of dedicated courses for operating the E-commerce Specialized University, and must be capable of collaboration for theoretical education, practical training, and performance creation in e-commerce for enrolled students. Preference will be given during the selection evaluation to universities that have related departments such as e-commerce or e-business, or that allocate more than 3 credits (per semester) to dedicated courses of this project.

Selected participating universities will be awarded a designation certificate of 'E-commerce Specialized University' in the name of the Minister of SMEs and Startups, and will receive support for course operation expenses, education fees, sales practice fees, and operational support fees. Scholarships will also be provided to outstanding students who complete the course. SBC will provide online sales practice opportunities by matching domestic SMEs with universities to strengthen practical skills for enrolled students, and plans to support outstanding graduates who complete the course to grow as professional sellers or influencers by linking them with government-supported projects such as professional manpower development projects.

Applications for participation in the project can be submitted by sending application documents via a separate email by the 23rd. Detailed information, including the announcement, can be found on GoBiz Korea, and inquiries can be made to SBC’s Online Export Division. Chairman Kim Hak-do stated, "This year, together with seven E-commerce Specialized Universities including Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology, Korea University, Mokpo National University, Paichai University, Soongsil University, Jeonbuk National University, and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, we are nurturing more than 350 e-commerce experts," adding, "In the post-COVID-19 era, demand for online export professionals is rapidly increasing, and SBC will actively lead the training of online export experts who will drive the rapidly growing global e-commerce market."

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