From the summer of 2016, POSTECH will more strongly encourage Postechians to participate in the internship program. About 70 Postechians have previously participated in the internship program through activity-based general education course (ABC) every year. The education committee held on February 22nd approved the establishment of a common course for the internship program. To implement this program, POSTECH changed the academic calendar and the period of summer vacation was expanded, starting from June 15th and ending at September 4th. The Postech Times interviewed Mr. Choi Hak Soon, a manager of the internship program at the Innovation Center for Education (ICE), to inquire about the purpose and plan of this internship-program expansion.
Purpose and Effect
The primary goal is to foster global talents. Mr. Choi said that this policy focuses on developing long-term career prospect rather than on achieving short-term employment. He also said that the internship program is designed to provide resourceful experiences to undergraduates. Students will learn how to apply their knowledge to the field and gain insights into what the field managers expect from the students. In addition, students can discover new trends in their field of study, which could help better prepare for their future. Moreover, social and/or professional networking is another advantage of participating in the internship program. People who met during the internship program could be valuable contacts for each other later on.
Contents
Although detailed plans for this policy are not disclosed, the internship program will be announced in the beginning of April. Both private companies and government-supported research institutes will be available for the internship, which could offer a unique opportunity for summer undergraduate’s resourceful experience (SURE). Credits will also be given to students: one credit per four weeks of internship and up to twelve credits over the years. Of the twelve accumulated credits, four credits will be counted as the number of credits required for graduation, whereas eight credits will be recorded in a student’s transcript. Each academic department will decide whether the internship course is a mandatory major course or an elective major course or an optional course. Each department will also select private companies or government/industrial laboratories to be associated with the internship program.
To students, POSTECH ICE will offer a briefing session that provides more information about the internship program. According to a survey taken in the beginning of March, Postechians want to receive information through POVIS and e-mail. POSTECH ICE will use these channels to disseminate information and encourage students  to participate in the SURE program for global Postechians