Controversy once swirled around its very name. We are standing before Korea National Open University. It is also known as KNOU. This university faced challenges early on. People debated whether an open-admission school should be a real university.
KNOU’s Korean name includes words for broadcasting and communication. This shows its history of using radio and TV for teaching. Today, the internet is the main way it connects with students. In the 2020s, there was an attempt to change the name. A naming contest offered a prize of about 100 million KRW. Some suggested names included Korea National Remote University and Korea National Future University. Students opposed the change. The plan was dropped partly due to concerns about costs.
Korea National Open University started in 1972. It began as a college connected to Seoul National University. It was the first open university in East Asia. It was the second in the world. The Open University in the United Kingdom came first. After the Korean War, South Korea had a low GDP. Few people had higher education. KNOU aimed to make education more accessible.
Originally, professors graded assignments by hand. They mailed the feedback to students. This personal attention was valued but became too much work. The detailed feedback ended in 1994.
In the early days, lectures aired on KBS and MBC radio. TV and the internet were added later. Radio broadcasts stopped in 2008 as internet access grew.
Today, Korea National Open University is a leading open university. It is a respected school. But as more people get higher education, the need for open universities has changed. Korea’s university culture is hierarchical. This affects how open universities are viewed.
Since COVID-19, remote learning has become more popular. This has renewed interest in open universities. Now, KNOU is popular with foreigners, isolated people, and the elderly. It also serves office workers and some young adults. Its mission to provide education for all remains important.
Korea National Open University uses a credit-based system. Students must earn enough credits to advance. They need at least 130 credits to graduate. They also must meet department requirements. These may include foreign language tests or a thesis. An early graduation system exists for top students. Students can pursue a double major.
Korea National Open University has four colleges. These include Liberal Arts, Social Science, Natural Science, and Education. There are also seventeen graduate schools. These cover fields like Practical English and Computer Science.
The university has campuses in major South Korean cities. These include Seoul, Busan, and Jeju. It now allows students abroad to continue their studies. Tuition is about $250 per semester. Scholarships can lower this cost. Some students pay as little as $30. This is possible because it is a national open university with many students.
Volleyball player Kim Yeon-koung and actor Kim Kwang-kyu are notable alumni of Korea National Open University.
The university partners with other open universities. These include the Open University of China and the Open University of Japan. They jointly host a distance education forum.