Discussion on Operating Both Bachelor's Degrees Upon Integration of 'General University-Technical College'

Discussion on Operating Both Bachelor's and Associate Degrees at Integrated Universities
Legal and Institutional Reforms for Glocal University Project to Be Reviewed
Special Provisions and Management Plans to Be Presented Within the Year

After the integration of general universities and junior colleges, measures to operate both bachelor's and associate degrees through special provisions are being discussed.

On the 18th, the Ministry of Education will hold the '3rd Glocal University Innovation Support Forum' at the Government Sejong Complex in the afternoon, focusing on these matters.

At this forum, there will be a concentrated discussion on the operation of associate degree programs at integrated universities, which is being attempted for the first time through the Glocal University project.

Previously, when general universities and junior colleges were integrated, the quota for associate degrees was transferred to bachelor's degrees, resulting in the blanket abolition of competitive associate degree programs.

However, this has been pointed out as a factor that undermines higher vocational education, a key pillar for industrial workforce development, and forces the abandonment of excellent associate degree programs, thereby hindering the integration of general universities and associate degree programs.

The forum will include participants from National Changwon University - Gyeongnam Provincial Geochang College - Gyeongnam Provincial Namhae College - Korea Elevator University (integration and alliance), and National Mokpo University.

National Changwon University - Gyeongnam Provincial Geochang College - Gyeongnam Provincial Namhae College respond comprehensively to the demand for core research and development (R&D) and advanced industrial skilled workforce in national industrial complexes through integration between national general universities and public junior colleges and alliance with Korea Elevator University. National Mokpo University focuses on full-cycle technical and skilled workforce development through integration with Jeonnam Provincial College, a junior college. In this process, they proposed regulatory reform tasks such as establishing legal grounds for universities to award associate degrees under integrated university-junior college operations.

They plan to discuss applying special provisions exclusively to integrated universities to operate both bachelor's and associate degrees, and review detailed management plans such as admissions and financial support methods related to campus specialization strategies. A model and action plan that universities wishing to integrate general and junior colleges can utilize will be presented within the year.

Oh Seok-hwan, Vice Minister of Education, said, "New attempts that did not exist before are being made through the Glocal University project, and the Ministry of Education, Glocal Universities, and local governments are realizing this together," adding, "We will create various leading models with Glocal Universities so that universities can selectively benchmark according to their characteristics and conditions."

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