KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 21): South Korean universities are now offering company-linked degrees that provide financial aid and pathways to jobs at Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix years before students graduate.

Sogang University’s Department of System Semiconductor Engineering is teaching a four-year degree course established in partnership with SK Hynix and comes with a guarantee of employment at the memory-chip maker upon graduation, according to CNBC.

Sungkyunkwan University is offering a five-year integrated Bachelor’s and Master’s programme in artificial intelligence (AI) created in partnership with Samsung Electronics. The route increases the chances of landing a job, though candidates must still clear a separate company hiring process.

The move comes amid intense competition for talent in AI and semiconductor. South Korea is also grappling with a severe shortage of skilled engineers amid a shrinking domestic labour pool.

The corporate programmes belong to a category within South Korea’s university system known as “contract departments,” CNBC said. Companies help universities develop courses, provide financial support and create pathways through which qualifying students can join them.

Students receive full tuition and stipends that come with conditions such as meeting minimum grade requirements, as well as guaranteed or prioritised jobs upon graduation while companies like Samsung and SK Hynix secure a pipeline of specialised talents early.

SK Hynix also has partnerships with the country’s top institution of higher education like Korea University, CNBC said.

Samsung Electronics, meanwhile, collaborates with institutes such as Yonsei University, the Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, as well as the Ulsan Institute of Science and Technology, the report added.