19 Schools Pass 1st Test to Get Pharmacy Colleges

Nineteen of 32 universities that applied to establish colleges of pharmacy have passed the first round of government review, the Education, Science and Technology said yesterday.

The final winners will be announced Feb. 26 after the ministry conducts on-site surveys of the 19 candidates.

Two to five universities each in six regions have passed the first round. In Gyeonggi Province, for which 100 students per year are allocated, The Catholic University of Korea, Dongguk University, Hanyang University, Ajou University and Pochon Cha University College of Medicine have made the cut.

In the five other regions, Kyungpook National University and Kyemyung University have passed for Daegu; Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Yonsei University and Inha University for Incheon; Korea University, Dankook University, Sunmoon University and Soonchunhyang University for South Chungcheong Province; and Dongshin University, Mokpo University and Suncheon National University for South Jeolla Province.

For South Gyeongsang Province, Kyungnam University and Inje University are the finalists.

Through consultations with the Health, Welfare and Family Affairs Ministry, the Education Ministry decided to increase the student quota by 390 from 2011 and received applications from schools wishing to establish or expand their colleges of pharmacy.

Busan and South Chungcheong and Gangwon provinces were not eligible for the increase because certain universities in those regions are scheduled to increase the number of pharmacy students.

“We are consulting with the Health Ministry on ways to additionally increase the student quotas,” an Education Ministry official said. “A committee of judges will eventually make a final decision on how many universities will be selected under a plan to allocate at least 30 new students per university.”

In addition, a project seeks to set up contract departments within existing pharmaceutical colleges. The number of students majoring in pharmacy will rise to some 1,700 from 1,210, the first increase since 1982.

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