As part of U.S.-Korea shipbuilding cooperation, a “naval architecture” major is expected to be newly established at a university in San Diego as early as early next year, and a plan to conduct credit exchanges with the Seoul National University Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering is being pursued, sources said on the 7th. Seoul National University would train personnel for the U.S. shipbuilding industry.

Seoul National University’s Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering is known as Korea’s top program for training shipbuilding professionals. San Diego is a core base of the U.S. Navy where 40% of the Pacific Fleet is stationed. The NASSCO shipyard, which signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for business cooperation with Samsung Heavy Industries, is also there.

According to ChosunBiz’s 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 devise concrete implementation measures.

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 about 10–20 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 cooperation in the shipbuilding sector attended by Sarah Rogers, U.S. Department of State Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy, who recently visited Korea. A participant at the meeting said, “The U.S. side needs to train shipbuilding specialists over the mid to long term, but there are few naval architecture departments locally, so they reacted positively.”

The two sides are also said to be reviewing a plan to recognize dual degrees in the future. Common major courses would be recognized for credit whether taken at Seoul National University or San Diego State University. In addition, a plan is being considered under which completing all required naval architecture major courses at Seoul National University would confer both a mechanical engineering degree from San Diego State University and a major degree from Seoul National University.

In addition, a plan is being pursued for San Diego State University 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.
Source: The ChosunBiz