The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education will partner with local universities to provide high school students with university-level courses during the summer break. Some courses will count toward high school credits and, if students later enroll at the respective university, toward university credits as well, a move expected to bolster the rollout of the high school credit system and support career planning.
The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education said it will run a "Summer Break Regional Partnership Curriculum" from the 27th through the 10th of next month, with 17 universities and institutions participating. The program targets 1,040 students in grades 1 through 3 at general high schools, autonomous public high schools, and special-purpose high schools.
The curriculum uses the human and physical infrastructure of universities to offer specialized subjects that are difficult to establish at schools, while expanding learning opportunities tailored to students' career paths and aptitudes. This year, a total of 57 courses will be offered across three types: subject-based, high school-university linked credit-recognition, and creative experiential activities.
The subject-based courses will run 14 courses for 265 students in grades 2 and 3 at nine universities, including Kyungnam College of Information & Technology. Students who complete them will be recognized for two credits.
The high school-university linked credit-recognition type will run five subjects for 128 students in grades 1 and 2 at six universities, including Pusan National University. After completion, students will receive high school credits, and if they later enroll at the respective university, they can also have these recognized as university credits.
The creative experiential activities courses will run 38 courses for 647 students in grades 1 and 2, with participation from 16 universities in the Busan area and the Busan Community Media Center. These are conducted with a focus on inquiry and hands-on practice, and completion is recorded in the creative experiential activities section of the school life record.
The Office of Education expects the program to expand students' subject choices and strengthen ties with local universities, serving as a catalyst to enhance the effectiveness of the high school credit system.
"I hope the regional partnership curriculum realizes the purpose of the high school credit system and provides practical help for students' career planning and college choices," Superintendent Kim Suk-jun said.
