New KAIST Vacation: Summer 3 Months, Winter 1 Month

Starting from 2008, vacations at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) will be adjusted to ‘3 months summer vacation, 1 month winter vacation’ system of universities in advanced countries. It is the first among domestic universities to make such a change in its academic calendar, and it is being regarded with interest whether other prestigious universities will follow suit.

In order to gradually apply this system, KAIST has decided to extend its summer vacation this year to two and a half months, and will end first semester classes 15 days earlier than last year. Winter vacation will be shortened from one and a half months. In 2008, classes will end on May 31 and summer vacation will last for three months, starting from June and ending in August.

Dean of Academic Affairs Lee Kwang-hyung said, “Recently, the number of students wanting to do internships abroad has been increasing, but because Korean universities have only two months of summer vacation, foreign companies or universities and institutes tend to avoid accepting Korean students.” He explained, “We decided to adjust our vacation period so that talented students in our country can gain global competitiveness.”

Overseas internships are programs in which local undergraduate and graduate students receive a wage for joining foreign companies, universities or institutes abroad to research and train in their field of study.

mhjee@donga.com