SUNGKYUNKWAN UNIVERSITY (SKKU), SEOUL, KOREA
The newly appointed Sungkyunkwan University President Chung Kyu Sang majored in law. He has been teaching law since his appointment as a professor of law in 1989. The President's solution to push SKKU into the top 50 university rankings by the year 2020 is to, "cultivate SW specialists." President Chung asserts that, "Future competitiveness depends on SW." "All fields of study need SW as a tool for their development in this day and age," says President Chung who further stated, "in order to propagate Steve Jobs-type abilities and achievements, imagination is not enough, all students need to utilize SW as a tool."
SW is a MUST KNOW ability
The reason why Sungkyun Software Education (SSEN) stands out is because it marks a shift in SW education from college level education focused on producing programing engineers to generic education. Now the time has come that everyone is learning SW as a basic skill.
The courses in which SSEN will be teaching students of humanities, social sciences, arts, and physical education do not contain professional SW programming languages. There are instead primarily centered on developing SW through computational thinking. Through this way of thinking solutions are found by recognizing core principles as well as reorganizing and utilizing flow charts. Prof. Ahn Sung-jin, Vice President of Admissions, explains, "For the same reason learning English is not only for those majoring in English Literature, SW should be acquired as a basic skill," and also stated, "if those majoring in Business Administration understand SW, for example, then more effective personnel management SW could possibly be developed."
Curriculums are organized in levels that can be selected based on the difference in required SW capability for each field of study. The two required general courses for all freshmen are at the beginning stages of understanding SW. For those who need basic SW education and are continuing to take SW classes, if they acquire eighteen credits, SW accreditation will be issued to their diploma. Those who receive intensive instruction and acquire thirty-six credits will receive a SW interdisciplinary double major. The newly established SW interdisciplinary major will be different from existing double majors that require fifty-one credits.
SKKU runs a 'Sam-pum Jae' (Sam-pum policy) which has additional graduation requirements including Insung-pum (volunteer work, etc.), Kukjae-pum (language ability), and Changeui-pum (various creative activities) along with academic credits. In order to further promote SW courses additional consideration is being given to award Changeui-pum (various creative activities) accreditation as well to those who complete eighteen credits worth of SW courses.
The Proclamation for a SW 'SSEN' University
SKKU is initiating a new policy of admitting 100 students talented in SW from the 2018 college entrance exam. In addition, a SW subject is expected to be added to the essay exam so that these students can be admitted more easily.
SKKU's reason for propelling SW convergence talent cultivation in such a way is due to its desire to rekindle growth and advancement. "In 1996 Samsung joined SKKU as its foundation and SKKU saw rapid development, but recently it has reached the limit and showing slow to medium progress," says President Chung who added, "We are going to have every major incorporate SW and drive forward with a new engine for academic development." President Chung also further explained that the name of the new SW education institute, 'SSEN', which when pronounced in Korean means 'powerful', was adopted to further elevate the image of the University.
President Chung said that SW education fits well with the University's founding philosophy, 'áóÐùö½ìÑ (Su-gi-chi-in)', which means 'discipline oneself and then rule the world'. "To cultivate SW convergent talents and contribute to the betterment of humankind directly coincides with our founding philosophy ," he added, "As a wind is blowing that changes our society into a SW society, it will be SKKU who takes the initiative and produces individuals talented in SW."
