Mokpo National University, First Among National Universities to Abolish 15 Departments... Academic Structure Reform

Transition to Regional and Student-Centered Academic Structure

Innovation through Convergent Education System... Restructuring from 65 to 37 Recruitment Units

Unprecedented High-Intensity Reform Plan in National University History

National Mokpo University (President Song Ha-cheol) announced a high-intensity academic structure reform plan as a university regulation on the 13th, following a faculty meeting. The plan marks a shift from the existing department-centered academic structure (curriculum) to one that enhances students' major selection rights and convergence education, focusing on a regional and student-demand-centered academic structure starting from the 2024 academic year.

National Mokpo University Campus View [Photo by Mokpo University]

According to Mokpo University on the 19th, the university's curriculum innovation plan aims to cultivate talents with convergent thinking skills to respond to the Fourth Industrial Revolution era. To transition to a convergence education system that strengthens students' major selection rights, the number of recruitment units was reduced from 65 to 37.

Fifteen departments, accounting for about 30% of the entire university, were abolished and newly established or reorganized with a curriculum centered on regional key industries and future industries.

Additionally, the existing College of Natural Sciences was abolished and reorganized into the College of Life and Medical Sciences to meet the demand of the biomedical industry, a mega project led by Jeollanam-do and the government. The plan also includes the establishment of a global talent cultivation program for overseas advancement, an autonomous major department, and a Future Life College for adult learners.

Since the appointment of President Song Ha-cheol, Mokpo University has been preparing the educational innovation plan over the past six months with many advisory groups to ensure it aligns with global higher education environmental changes and the region's industry and social conditions. From February, the university began formal consultations with frontline departments and faculty members, finalizing the plan after extensive discussions with university members.

In particular, since March, a survey was conducted targeting about 1,500 respondents, including current students, high school teachers, parents, and local residents, who are the actual demanders of university education. After carefully analyzing the responses, the following high-intensity innovation plan centered on demanders was prepared.

Transition to a Convergence Education System

Mokpo University has drastically reorganized its academic structure, which was previously operated with 53 departments and 12 faculties (a total of 65 recruitment units), into 21 departments and 16 faculties (a total of 37 recruitment units, a 43% reduction compared to before) starting from the 2024 academic year, transitioning to a faculty-centered convergence education system. Separately, six lifelong education programs were newly established.

To achieve this, 15 departments were abolished and completely reorganized, and the educational goals of three departments were restructured, promoting structural changes across the academic structure. From the 2024 academic year, new students recruited by faculties will be admitted through integrated recruitment of all quotas for 2 to 3 majors requiring convergence education.

Through this, students can enjoy the advantage of simultaneously selecting multiple departments of interest by attending various convergence major classes within large recruitment units. During this period, they have sufficient time to contemplate their aptitude and career exploration, and at the time of advancing to the 2nd or 3rd year, they are guaranteed the opportunity to choose the major they desire.

Establishment of Demand-Oriented Majors and Expansion of Recruitment Quotas for Popular Departments

Mokpo University has newly established unique and specialized majors tailored to students' interests, such as Creative Writing, Police Safety Law, Pharmaceutical Engineering, Forest Resources, Fisheries Biomedical Science, Eco-friendly Energy, Semiconductor Engineering, Visual Design, New Art Video Animation, and Music Performance Planning. In addition, recruitment quotas for departments with high student preference, such as Intellectual Property, Social Welfare, Electrical Engineering, Child Studies, Food and Nutrition, Fashion Clothing, and Physical Education, will be significantly expanded by more than 40%.

This reform plan also focuses on cultivating practical convergence talents aligned with the key and future industries promoted by Jeollanam-do.

The existing College of Natural Sciences was reorganized into the College of Life and Medical Sciences, and majors such as Food Engineering, Pharmaceutical Engineering, Forest Resources, and Horticulture were newly established within it, laying the foundation for students who complete these majors to immediately find employment in related industries.

National Mokpo University, Practical Local Talent Training Curriculum Aligned with Regional Key Industries and Future Industries
[Photo by Mokpo National University]

In this way, Mokpo University plans to nurture core personnel who will lead the region's industry and economy by establishing many majors and departments that can directly or indirectly contribute to the key industries promoted by Jeollanam-do and cultivating practical local talents within these curricula.

Additionally, the 'Global Faculty' will be placed directly under the president and operated separately for domestic admissions (within quota) and international admissions (outside quota).

First, the domestic admission track focuses on cultivating talents who will advance overseas. Specifically, freshmen in the 2024 academic year will enter the Global Faculty, receive foreign language education for one year, be matched with overseas universities (universities that have joint degree agreements with Mokpo University), then advance to the second year to study basic major courses at Mokpo University, and finally study abroad at the overseas university in the third year.

Students who complete this educational program will obtain joint or double degrees from Mokpo University and the overseas university and grow into globally competitive talents recognized in local companies.

The international student admission track aims to attract outstanding international students to Mokpo University and supply specialized personnel to domestic companies, especially those in the Jeonnam region.

Mokpo University plans to recruit excellent international students, provide intensive Korean language and culture education for one year, and assign majors from the second year to provide specialized education.

Furthermore, employment linkage programs will be operated for international students who complete this program, helping them find jobs in Jeonnam's industries and addressing the manpower shortage of local small and medium-sized enterprises.

Launch of Future Life College for Adults and Working Professionals

Mokpo University will launch the Future Life College and establish six departments, including Leisure Sports Guidance and Counseling Psychology and Therapy.

National Mokpo University, Newly Established Future Life College and Affiliated Departments
[Photo by Mokpo University]

Since 2013, based on experience operating re-education contract departments for working professionals (currently 2 departments, 70 students) and early employment contract departments (currently 4 departments, 150 students) with full support from the Ministry of Education and local governments, the university is launching the Future Life College specialized in lifelong education.

This expands the target learners from mainly graduates of specialized high schools to adult learners, strengthening lifelong education programs. It also responds to the Ministry of Education's recently announced LiFE 2.0 project (supporting university lifelong education systems) by establishing Mokpo University as a permanent lifelong education platform (a university specialized in lifelong education) in the Jeonnam region.

Through the Future Life College, Mokpo University plans to provide customized lifelong education to retirees preparing for their second life and working professionals who are proficient in practice but thirst for theoretical education.

If Mokpo University is selected as an executor of the LiFE 2.0 project (linked with metropolitan local governments) in the future, students of the Future Life College will be able to receive 80% of their tuition fees supported by the government.

Planning Director Cha Ju-hwan stated, "This educational innovation plan at National Mokpo University is a high-intensity reform plan rarely seen in the history of national universities," and added, "It sufficiently meets the role of a regional national university advancing together with the region to the world."

President Song Ha-cheol, who oversaw this educational innovation, said, "Thanks to the great willingness of all departments to unite with the intention of focusing solely on the region and students, we were able to finalize an educational innovation plan that goes beyond the existing framework," and expressed "respect and gratitude to the Mokpo University professors who considered the high-intensity department reorganization plan, which is difficult to accept as national university professors, and supported it without discord."

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