Universities Required to Disclose Key School Information
By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
Universities will have to make public the results of management evaluations, research performance and other key information, beginning next year, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said Friday.
The public disclosure of detailed information is intended to give more accurate information to students and parents to assist them selecting a school.
Among items subject to the disclosure are the number of professors and students, job placements and the number of books in school libraries.
``The new system will boost competition among universities,’’ said Kim Kwang-ho, the ministry official.
Separately, the government will invest 825 billion won ($804 million) over the next five years to help foster research at universities. It will accept applications from universities hoping to join in the ``World Class University'' project up to Sept. 20.
To receive government funding universities must establish new departments run by renowned foreign scholars, hire world-class academics and researchers as full-time professors and invite Nobel Prize winners as visiting-time professors.
Universities that meet one of those conditions will get funding and can increase their admission quota for the project. The current Education Law allows universities to recruit more students only when they have an adequate number of professors, facilities and funds.
Universities selected by the ministry will be free from these restrictions. The ministry will give priority to schools specializing in bio-medical and neuroscience studies, and nano and energy technology. The successful universities will be announced at the end of November.