The Academic Credit Bank System in the Republic of Korea: An effective medium for lifelong learning in higher education?

Abstract

Drawing on critical theory for adult education, the authors of this article examine the Academic Credit Bank System (ACBS), an open educational system operating in the Republic of Korea since 1998. It was designed to provide both traditional-age and mature students with opportunities to earn academic qualifications, including Bachelor’s degrees, at low cost and in collaboration with the traditional system. In a literature review, the authors analyse the system with reference to the underlying ideology (i.e., credentialism, an emphasis on formal credentials) and hegemonic (dominant) characteristics (i.e., the foci of formal education and the educational norms created by the government-centred administrative system) in which ACBS operates, particularly in the context of lifelong learning. The authors investigate why an ACBS degree is still not considered to be equivalent to a traditional degree in the job market. Their data are drawn from the domestic and international literature relating to ACBS, including policy reports which tend to offer only descriptions of ACBS without subjecting the educational system itself to even small-scale analysis. The authors found that ACBS is limited primarily with regard to social recognition and that this systemic limitation is an outcome of Korea’s academic credentialism. In particular, they argue that a non-formal learning domain cannot be successful unless the credentials it produces are perceived as comparable to those from the dominant (i.e., traditional) system of higher education. Overall, this study advances the education field’s understanding of ACBS by using a critical lens to unveil tensions in practice and identify problems at the ground level, which cannot be identified merely through statistical evaluation. The authors conclude this article with a suggestion of in-depth, qualitative examinations and critical reflection on ACBS.