The Education Ministry on Thursday announced the top-ranking local universities with respect to their compatibility with the corporate sector. The list was released as part of the government’s efforts to establish a closer link between higher education and businesses.

Inha University was picked as the most notable school, garnering “excellent” ratings in all but the biomedical equipment category. It was the only recipient of the top rank in the energy category.

Other universities that received the top ranks were: Kunkuk University, Kwangwoon University, Seoul National University of Science and Technology in the environment category; Junbuk National University in the biomedical equipment category; and Paichai University and the Catholic University of Korea in the biomedical category.

The yearly Industry-Perspective University Evaluation ― started in 2008 ― was initiated following demands by companies to encourage tertiary education institutes to revise their curriculums to better meet the needs of the industry, according to the ministry.

The Korean Council for University Education conducted the state-commissioned evaluation by assessing 34 universities that has departments related to environment, energy, biomedicine and biomedical equipment. Officials from 23 enterprises in Korea studied the data submitted by the universities.

By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)