As part of South Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation, a "naval architecture" major is expected to be established at a university in San Diego as early as early next year, with a plan under way to conduct credit exchanges with the Seoul National University Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, according to reports on the 7th. Seoul National University would train the U.S. shipbuilding workforce.
Seoul National University's Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering is known as Korea's top program for training shipbuilding specialists. San Diego is a key base for the U.S. Navy, home to 40% of the Pacific Fleet. It also has the NASSCO shipyard, which signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for business cooperation with Samsung Heavy Industries.
According to ChosunBiz reporting compiled that day, Seoul National University is discussing this kind of personnel exchange plan with San Diego State University in the United States. Seoul National University will also hold a workshop next month to draw up concrete implementation plans.
The two sides will first establish a naval architecture major within San Diego State University's Department of Mechanical Engineering, then pursue creating an exchange student program with Seoul National University's Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering. The mechanical engineering department currently has about 1,700 students enrolled, according to reports. If they come to Seoul National University and take roughly 10 to 20 credits, those credits would be recognized.
The collaboration between the two universities was reportedly proposed by Seoul National University at a closed-door roundtable on shipbuilding cooperation attended by U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers, who recently visited Korea. A participant at the meeting said, "The U.S. side needs to cultivate shipbuilding specialists over the mid to long term, but there are almost no naval architecture departments locally, so they responded positively."
The two sides are also said to be reviewing a plan to recognize dual degrees in the future. For shared major courses, credits would be recognized whether taken at Seoul National University or San Diego State University. Another option under review would award a San Diego State mechanical engineering degree and a Seoul National University major degree if a student completes all of Seoul National University's required naval architecture courses.
In addition, a plan is being pursued for San Diego State students to do on-site internships at domestic shipyards during vacations. Currently, Seoul National University students do internships at domestic shipbuilding companies during vacations and receive credit.