Samsung to Reward Accredited Graduates

Universities that have not yet received accreditation from the Accreditation Board of Engineering Education of Korea (ABEEK) are buzzing after Samsung Electronics announced it would give extra consideration to job applicants who graduate from a university that has received accreditation.

Universities such as Seoul National University, Korea University, Sungkyunkwan University, and Korea Maritime University said on Tuesday that they are planning to decide whether to apply for accreditation this year. Universities that have already introduced the program, such as Hanyang University and Changwon National University, are looking into offering additional accredited courses.

Chung-Ang University is planning to apply to ABEEK for accreditation this June.

Currently, 22 universities, including Dongguk University, Kwangwoon University, and Pusan National University, have introduced the program and are offering 130 accredited courses altogether.

Samsung Electronics announced on Monday that it would give a maximum 10 percent bonus during the interview process to entry-level applicants who have earned or are expecting to earn an ABEEK-accredited diploma.

The Engineering Schools Association, government organizations, and corporations established ABEEK in 1999. ABEEK’s main task is to maintain fundamental guidelines for engineering education in universities to nurture skilled workers in the engineering technology field.

Sang-Rok Lee myzodan@donga.com