Suggested citations
AGLC4 | 고등교육법 2015 [Higher Education Law of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (2015)] [tr Daye Gang].
Bluebook | Godeunggyoyukbeob 2015 [Higher Education Law of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (2015)] translated in Law and North Korea by Daye Gang, https://www.lawandnorthkorea.com/.
Adopted on December 14, Juche 100 (2011), as Directive No. 2036 of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly
Amended and supplemented on December 23, Juche 104 (2015), as Directive No. 848 of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly
CHAPTER I. BASICS OF HIGHER EDUCATION LAW
Article 1 (Objectives of Higher Education Law)
The Higher Education Law of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea shall strictly adopt a system and order in the organization and operation, professorial education, and scientific research of higher education institutions, to develop higher education, and shall serve to grow more competent scientists, technical experts, or professionals who are strongly prepared politically and ideologically and who have high scientific and technical knowledge and creativity.
Article 2 (Principle of developing higher education work)
The development of higher education work is the basic guarantee of nurturing competent experts. The State shall consolidate and develop the socialist education system, shall further improve and fully equip the higher education system in conformity with the requirements of developing reality.
Article 3 (Principle of organizing and operating higher education institutions)
Correctly organizing and operating higher education institutions is a prerequisite requirement of arranging higher education conditions. The State shall rationally organize and operate higher education institutions from the principle of smoothly assuring State demands for technical experts and the training of experts.
Article 4 (Principle of strengthening higher education worker lineup)
Higher education workers are the direct entities in charge of higher education work. The State shall adopt an education worker training system in the higher education sector in an orderly manner to grow backup education workers in a planned way, and shall strongly manage the education worker lineup with owners of degrees and academic positions.
Article 5 (Principle of professorial education and scientific research)
Professorial education and scientific research is the basic duty of higher education institutions. The State shall thoroughly embody the basic theory of socialist pedagogy in professorial education and shall closely combine education work and scientific research.
Article 6 (Principle of guaranteeing higher education work conditions)
The State shall systematically extend investment in the higher education sector and shall smoothly assure education conditions.
Article 7 (Exchange and cooperation in higher education field)
The State shall develop exchange and cooperation in the higher education field with other countries and international organizations.
CHAPTER II. EXECUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Article 8 (Classification of higher education system)
In the higher education system is a higher education system that specializes in study and a higher education system for learning while working. The State shall develop the higher education system that specializes in study and the higher education system for learning while working all together.
Article 9 (Age for being able to receive higher education)
A citizen over 16 years of age who has received secondary common education may receive higher education according to his or her abilities and wishes. In cases where he or she has exceptional abilities, higher education may be brought forward without restriction on age.
Article 10 (Execution of free education)
The State shall execute higher education for free. All higher education expenses relating to a student’s admission, classes, practical training, field trips, and field investigations shall be borne by the State.
Article 11 (Form of higher education)
Higher education shall be university education.
Article 12 (Classification of university education)
University education includes regular course education, doctoral school education, and scientific research centre education.
Article 13 (University regular course education)
University regular course education is a high stage of higher education to develop scientists, technical experts, and professionals who possess professional knowledge and technical ability in relevant fields, including politics, economics, and culture. The term of university education is 3~6 years.
Article 4 (Doctoral school education)
Doctoral school education is a higher stage of higher education than regular course education, as education that develops experts who are able to play a core role in relevant fields, including politics, economics, and culture. The term of doctoral school education is 2~4 years.
Article 15 (Scientific research centre education)
Scientific research centre education is education to grow scholars of a global level and is a higher stage of higher education than doctoral school education. The term of scientific research centre education is 3~5 years.
CHAPTER III. ORGANIZATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
Article 16 (Classification of higher education institutions)
Higher education institutions include universities with a higher education system that specializes in study, and factory universities, farm universities, and fisheries universities with a higher education system for learning while working.
Article 17 (Organization and operation of higher education institutions)
The Cabinet, higher education guidance institutions, and relevant authorities must rationally organize and operate higher education institutions to be able to qualitatively grow experts required in relevant sectors and areas, in conformity with the requirements of actual development.
Article 18 (Organization of university)
Universities shall take into education the State and societal demands for technical experts and professionals and be organized from the principle of appropriately combining things such as comprehensive universities, comprehensive universities by sector or by area, universities by sector, and vocational skills universities. The work of creating or eliminating universities shall be done by the Cabinet.
Article 19 (Organization of doctoral schools)
Doctoral schools may be organized at university or scientific research institutions to grow experts who are competent at a higher level, including educational and scientific reserves. In cases where doctoral schools are sought to be created or eliminated, the approval of the Cabinet shall be received through the central education guidance institution.
Article 20 (Organization of scientific research centres)
Scientific research centres may be organized at universities where the conditions and environment required for training scholars at a global level are sufficiently arranged. In cases where scientific research centres are sought to be created or eliminated, the approval of the Cabinet shall be received through the central education guidance institution.
Article 21 (Organization of learning while working higher education institutions)
Relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations may organize factory universities, farm universities, and fisheries universities to train the technical experts required for the production site. In cases where a factory university, farm university or fisheries university is sought to be created or eliminated, the approval of Cabinet shall be received through the central education guidance institution.
Article 22 (Name of higher education institutions)
The name of a higher education institution shall be determined by the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly.
Article 23 (Student recruitment)
Students of higher education institutions shall be selected and recruited as the subjects whose ability and conduct is outstanding among citizens who have received the relevant education. The student recruitment process and method shall follow as separately determined.
Article 24 (Admission)
Higher education institutions must correctly organize admission examinations to accept into the school subjects who are both knowledgeable, morally sound and physically healthy, and have also passed the admission examination. The relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations must admit to school subjects that have passed the admission examination. The process and method related to admission examinations shall follow as separately determined.
Article 25 (Installation of undergraduate studies, lectures)
Higher education institutions may have undergraduate studies and lectures according to the mission and scale of schools. The work of creating or eliminating undergraduate studies and lectures shall be done by the central education guidance institution or the relevant authorities.
Article 26 (Establishment of remote education system)
The central education guidance institution and higher education institutions shall adopt a remote education system to tirelessly raise education levels so that workers can receive higher education while working .
Article 27 (Installation of affiliated facilities for higher education work)
Higher education institutions must have things like libraries, publishers, training grounds, museums, research laboratories, product testing factories, pressrooms, and experimental schools in conformity with reality, and must normally operate them.
CHAPTER IV. HIGHER EDUCATION WORKERS AND STUDENTS
Article 28 (Classification of higher education workers)
Higher education workers include the teachers who are directly responsible for and perform the professorial education of students, and the workers who guide them. Higher education workers must have the relevant qualifications.
Article 29 (Training of teachers)
Teachers shall be trained through university regular course education, doctoral school education, and teacher training that trains university lecturers. Central education guidance institutions and higher education institutions shall adopt a teacher training system in an orderly manner and train many competent teachers.
Article 30 (Qualifications of teachers)
Teachers must carry a refined mentally moral presence that is authentic to the education policy of the State, the science and techniques of the sector of their major, and education theory and methods. Teaching qualifications shall be given in cases where designated standards have been attained by subjects who have received university regular course education, doctoral school education, and teacher training that trains university lecturers. A lecturer must possess a degree in the field of the major.
Article 31 (Qualifications grades for teachers)
Teacher qualifications grades shall be Levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and the grade reassessment cycle shall be 3 years. The grade assessment of teacher qualifications for Levels 1 and 2 shall be done by the non-standing grade reassessment committee, and the grade assessment of teacher qualifications for the other Levels shall be done by the central education guidance institution.
Article 32 (Re-education for teachers)
Teacher shall regularly receive re-education. Central education guidance institutions and higher education institutions shall correctly adopt a refresher training system for teachers and must normally organize re-education for each field of major.
Article 33 (Duties of teachers)
Teachers must tirelessly raise their political and ideological levels, scientific theory levels, and teaching abilities to improve the quality of professorial work. Teachers shall compulsorily implement time for School Directors to perform scientific research tasks and textbooks and reference book writing tasks without fail.
Article 34 (Duties of students)
The duties of students are as follows.
1. They shall strongly arm themselves politically and ideologically and must responsibly participate in organizational life.
2. They shall assert education as their first duty and shall learn energetically to be well versed in the subjects of the curriculum in their field of major, and must possess more than one foreign language.
3. They must compulsorily participate in all forms of teaching, examinations, and practical training regulated in processes.
4. They must willingly abide by student life regulations, internal order, and the laws and regulations of the State.
Article 35 (Graduation approval documents)
A graduation approval document shall be conferred to students who have finished the pedagogical process according to the university curriculum.
Article 36 (Scholarships)
Students shall be given scholarships according to what has been decided, and students who are especially outstanding in their studies shall be given special scholarships.
CHAPTER V. ORGANIZATION OF PROFESSORIAL EDUCATION AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Article 37 (Drafting educational doctrine)
Educational doctrine shall be drafted by higher education institutions. The drafted educational doctrine shall receive the approval of the central education guidance institution or the relevant authorities. Educational doctrine may not be changed without approval.
Article 38 (Implementation of educational doctrine)
Higher education institutions must implement educational doctrine without fail. Teachers and students may not be mobilized to work that is not related to educational doctrine implementation without the approval of the relevant authorities.
Article 39 (Adherence to school systems and major departmental indicators)
Higher education institutions must correctly abide by designated school system and major departmental indicators. The school system and major departmental indicators of higher education institutions who specialize in study shall be determined by the Cabinet, and the school system and departmental indicators of learning while working higher education institutions shall be determined by the relevant authorities.
Article 40 (Composition of educational content)
Higher education institutions shall prioritize political ideological education and shall extensively and deeply do modern scientific and technological education, on the foundation of giving sufficient scientific and technical foundational education in the specialist field, to decisively raise the independent ideological consciousness and scientific techniques knowledge level, and must compose education content so that they can develop their thinking abilities, research abilities, and creative abilities.
Article 41 (Professorial education methods)
Higher education institutions shall cause students to clearly grasp the teaching content, using the method of enlightening them about teaching and education, so that they can actively encourage and develop their independence and creative power, and must closely combine theoretical education, practical education, education, and production labour.
Article 42 (Special education)
Higher education institutions may select students who naturally have exceptional talent and abilities and give them special education, to train outstanding experts in the basic science sector and specialist sector. Special education may be given separately by organizing classes of brilliant minds, or may be given according to individual course plans,
Article 43 (Operation of student scientific research laboratory groups)
Higher education institutions may organize and operate student scientific research laboratory groups to grow competent scientists and technical experts among students. The student scientific research laboratory groups shall include students with brilliant minds who have scientific research abilities and abilities, and are role models in education and in life.
Article 44 (Guest lectures)
Higher education institutions shall invite scientists, technical experts, professionals, and workers in relevant sectors to organize lectures about modern trends in modern scientific techniques, new scientific theories, and issues raised in reality. In these cases, competent professors and doctors of other countries may be invited to appear in lectures.
Article 45 (Organization of practical training, field trips, field investigations)
Higher education institutions must organize in a planned way things such as practical training, field trips, and field investigations, so that students can be more extensively and deeply aware of the knowledge that they have learned.
Article 46 (International student exchange)
Higher education institutions may dispatch international students to other countries or receive international students from other countries according to a cultural exchange arrangement or by agreement concluded with international organizations and other countries.
Article 47 (Digitization of teaching and education)
Higher education institutions shall actively use information communications techniques and means to digitize teaching, experiments, and practice.
Article 48 (Evaluation of ability of students)
Higher education institutions shall regularly organize examinations to correctly evaluate students’ degree of awareness and utilization ability about the teaching content. In evaluating the ability of students, their examination results must be taken into consideration together with their usual learning progress.
Article 49 (Student education)
Higher education institutions shall strengthen organizational life and social and political activities among students, and educate them so that they have sound ideology and morals.
Article 50 (Organization of scientific research)
Higher education institutions shall resolve theoretical and practical issues arising in teaching education work together with the construction of a strong and prosperous socialist nation, shall develop the basic science sector, shall center the pioneering of new scientific and technical fields, and shall organize scientific research in a planned way.
Article 51 (Entity in charge of scientific research)
The entities in charge of scientific research are teachers and researchers. Higher education institutions shall correctly select scientific research tasks in conformity with the requirements of actual development, shall correctly divide it among teachers and researchers, and must ensure that it is implemented at a high level of quality without fail. Valuable scientific research results must be introduced into reality in time.
Article 52 (Resolution of scientific and technical issues of institutions, enterprises and organizations)
Higher education institutions shall cooperate with relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations to actively open up scientific research to resolve scientific and technical issues raised to be important in the State or in reality. In these cases, competent teachers and researchers, and students with abilities may be dispatched to the scene.
CHAPTER VI. GUARANTEE OF CONDITIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION WORK
Article 53 (Planned guarantee of higher education work condition)
The Cabinet, state planning institutions, central education guidance institutions, and relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations shall correctly interconnect conditions required for higher education work with the national economic plan, and assure it without fail.
Article 54 (Financial budget in the higher education sector)
Financial banking institutions shall correctly draw up a financial budget for the higher education sector and must assure the required funds in time. Funds turned to the higher education sector may not be misused for different work.
Article 55 (Construction and maintenance of schools)
Relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations shall construct school buildings, laboratories, and practical training bases according to the school construction and maintenance plan, and must maintain them in time according to cycles.
Article 56 (Production and supply of education materials)
Institutions, enterprises and organizations that produce and supply education materials must produce and supply things required for higher education work, such as tools and materials, experiment equipment, and teaching aid equipment, in a planned way.
Article 57 (Guarantee of textbooks, reference books, private lesson books, educational video recordings)
Central education guidance institutions shall supply things like textbooks, reference books, private lesson books, and educational video recordings in time so that no interference is caused to education work.
Article 58 (Guarantee of conditions on practical training, field trips, field investigations)
Traffic conveyance institutions and relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations must smoothly assure the conditions for practical training, field trips, and field investigations for students.
Article 59 (Labour facilities)
Higher education institutions must manage labour facilities such as dormitories, restaurants, and clinics and shall normalize their operations so that there is no inconvenience to the standard of life of teachers, researchers, and students. Local political institutions and relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations must sufficiently guarantee conditions required for the operation of labour facilities such as dormitories, restaurants, and clinics.
Article 60 (Rear work)
Higher education institutions shall strongly manage their rear bases and shall improve their administration and operation to normally do the required rear supply work to teachers, researchers, and students.
Article 61 (Sponsorship for higher education institutions)
The Cabinet and local political institutions shall correctly decide sponsorship organizations for higher education institutions and must responsibly do sponsorship work to strengthen the material and technical foundations of higher education institutions and guarantee those conditions. Institutions, enterprises and organizations who are responsible for sponsorship work must have proper connections with relevant higher education institutions and must resolve issues that are raised in time.
Article 62 (Education administration work and improvement of the educational environment)
Higher education institutions shall regularize and standardize education administration work and shall manage the educational environment in conformity with pedagogical requirements, and must frugally manage educational facilities such as school buildings, dormitories, and practical training sites. Education facilities may not be used for different work that is not related to education work.
Article 63 (Preferential treatment of teachers)
The State shall preferentially treat and respect teachers in society.
CHAPTER VII. GUIDANCE AND CONTROL FOR HIGHER EDUCATION WORK
Article 64 (Guidance for higher education work)
Guidance for higher education work shall be done by the central education guidance institution, local political institutions, and relevant authorities, under the standardized guidance of the Cabinet. Central education guidance institutions, local political institutions, and relevant authorities shall normally discover the true state of higher education work and must solidly command and guide them to correctly implement the higher education policy of the State.
Article 65 (Education and scientific research)
Central education guidance institutions, higher education institutions, and higher education science research institutions shall strengthen scientific research in the higher education sector to smoothly resolve theoretical and practical issues in developing higher education work, and must scientize, digitize, and modernize higher education work.
Article 66 (Supervision and control for higher education work)
Supervision and control for higher education work shall be done by the central education guidance institution and the relevant supervision and control institution. Central education guidance institutions and relevant supervision and control institutions shall strictly supervise and control the state of implementation of the higher education policy of the State.
Article 67 (Administrative responsibility)
In the following cases, the relevant administrative punishment shall be given to responsible workers of relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations and to individual citizens depending on the gravity.
1. In cases where the implementation of educational doctrine has been slowed down, or where teachers and students have been mobilized for work not related to educational doctrine implementation without approval.
2. In cases where societal and public criticism has been raised in violation of the order of student recruitment and admission.
3. In cases where interference has been caused to education work by not correctly organizing and operating higher education institutions, or managing school buildings and facilities.
4. In cases where societal and public criticism has been raised by not correctly doing the work of qualifications grades assessment for teachers, or the work of conferment of degrees and academic positions.
5. In cases where societal and public criticism has been raised by not evaluating the abilities of students fairly.
6. In cases where societal and public criticism has been raised by violating the order of scholarship conferment.
7. In cases where things such as facilities, resources, and funds turned to the higher education sector have been misused for different work or wasted.
8. In cases where interference has been caused to education work and scientific research by not properly guaranteeing higher education work conditions.
9. In cases where other acts have caused inconvenience to higher education development.
Article 68 (Criminal responsibility)
Responsible workers of institutions, enterprises and organizations and individual citizens who have caused grave consequences because of an act under Article 67 of this law shall have criminal responsibility imposed.
Last updated 4 October 2020