Pukyong National University

Pukyong National University to Train Employees of Busan Fisheries Companies as “Blue Food” Master’s Graduates

- Establishes a contract-based graduate program, “Blue Food Smart Systems Major,” for working professionals

- Develops 10 specialized courses; aims to cultivate 40 master’s-level professionals over three years

Pukyong National University (President Sang-Hoon Bae) announced that it has established a contract-based graduate program, the “Blue Food Smart Systems Major,” to advance the regional fisheries and food industry and strengthen the expertise of working professionals, with full-scale operation beginning in the first semester of this year.

This program, jointly established by Pukyong National University’s Industry？Academic Cooperation Foundation and the RISE Program Office, is a master’s-level contract-based program for working professionals. It is designed to provide specialized education that enables employees of regional fisheries and food companies to solve real-world industrial problems and develop competencies in smart manufacturing processes.

The Blue Food Smart Systems Major is operated based on Pukyong National University’s Department of Food Science and Engineering (Chair Professor Gil-Bo Shim). Moving beyond simple seafood processing, the program offers an interdisciplinary curriculum that integrates smart system management and next-generation food engineering technologies to create value in “Blue Food,” which emphasizes sustainable and healthy food sources.

Reflecting future trends in the fisheries industry and on-site demand, the RISE Program Office has developed 10 specialized courses, including △Advanced Topics in Blue Food Industry Trends, △K-Blue Food Export Strategies and Response Measures, and △Advanced Topics in New Product Development. It has also supported the program’s stable operation by establishing two dedicated classrooms and providing advanced educational infrastructure.

In addition, leading regional fisheries and food companies, Deokhwa Food Co., Ltd. and The Sauce Korea Co., Ltd., are participating in the operation of the program, supporting the enhancement of practical competencies for working professionals and providing industry-linked education. This initiative has established a foundation that enables employees to systematically develop their expertise while balancing work and academic studies.

Through this contract-based program, which will be operated over the next three years starting this year, Pukyong National University plans to cultivate a total of 40 master’s-level professionals in Blue Food. Following the first intake in the current semester, the university will also recruit new students for the second semester in May.

An official from the RISE Program Office at Pukyong National University stated, “By actively leveraging the university’s expertise in fisheries and food sciences along with the full support of the RISE Program Office, we will strive to make the Blue Food Smart Systems Major a leading platform for cultivating professionals who will drive the digital transformation of the fisheries and food industry.” <Pukyong Today>