- 건국대학교

	KU Selected for the PRIME Project by the National Government
	관리자		2530		2016.05.09

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On May 3, 2016, Konkuk University (KU) announced that it was selected to participate in the Program for Industrial Needs-Matched Education, also known as the PRIME project. Higher education institutions receive incentives for restructuring and training students to meet the society’s needs under the project. Of the 75 universities that applied, KU, Ewha Womans University, and Hanyang University’s ERICA campus and 18 other universities were selected, and KU is expected to receive up to 450 billion won in government support over three years until 2018.
More than 15% of the funding will be allocated for scholarships, and a significant portion will be used for improving educational programs and building infrastructure. KU plans to recruit sixty-nine faculty members during the period, and 56 faculty members specializing in academic-industry partnerships will be newly appointed to promote students' career development in relevant fields.
In competing for the PRIME project, KU emphasized its synergy between bioscience and ICT fields. It reported plans to establish the “KU Center for Integrated Science and Technology” with eight departments to in order to train students in new technologies and areas that receive policy support by the government, such as drones, driverless cars, and pharmaceutical research. A five-year BS/MS program will also be made available to students.
In addition, biological sciences and engineering departments within the College of Animal Bioscience & Technology, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, and College of Bioscience & Biotechnology are to be merged into the “Sanghuh College of Bioscience.” Named after KU’s founder Dr. Seok-chang Yoo, the new college will include seven departments with 300 students and 50 faculty members. Scheduled to become the largest undergraduate college for bioscience in Korea, it aims to increase synergy through distinctive curriculums and joint research.
In terms of career development, KU unveiled the innovative “Plus Semester System” to increase professional expertise and competitiveness of its students in the job market. As an alternative to the prevalent 2-year and 4-year undergraduate programs, the new system allows students to take initiative in designing their education. Students will be able to choose from programs ranging from 3-8 years that include externships and capstones. All KU colleges will have an academic advisor to support the Plus Semester System.
KU also plans to rearrange the geographical location of different colleges based on academic areas to increase effectiveness. For example, there will be a biological sciences zone, engineering zone, and humanities and social sciences zone. A special area will be dedicated for the KU Center for Integrated Science and Technology.

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