The Korean Pharmaceutical Education Evaluation Institute (KPEE) has welcomed the passage of an amendment to the Higher Education Act that standardizes evaluation and accreditation processes for pharmacy education programs, aligning them with other medical and healthcare disciplines.
According to an official statement released by KPEE following the plenary session of the National Assembly on April 23, 2025, the amendment to Article 11-2, Paragraph 2 of the Higher Education Act was passed in its original form during the 434th session of the National Assembly’s 7th plenary meeting. The change ensures that pharmacy education programs will now undergo the same institutional evaluation and accreditation process as medicine, dentistry, Korean medicine, and nursing programs.
The amendment was introduced to bring pharmacy education under the same quality assurance framework as other healthcare disciplines, responding to the implementation of the revised Pharmacists Act. By requiring pharmacy programs to seek evaluation and accreditation from designated agencies, the reform aims to enhance standardization and improve the overall quality of pharmacy education in South Korea.
KPEE, which has been designated by the Ministry of Education as an authorized evaluation and accreditation agency for higher education programs under the Higher Education Act and related regulations, confirmed its re-designation for a five-year term based on compliance with Article 11-2 of the Act and Article 6 of the Regulations on Evaluation and Accreditation of Higher Education Institutions.
The organization emphasized that the legislative change marks a significant step forward for pharmacy education in Korea, reinforcing institutional accountability and supporting continuous quality improvement across pharmacy schools nationwide.
Under the revised framework, pharmacy education programs will be subject to periodic evaluations conducted by authorized agencies like KPEE, which assess curriculum design, faculty qualifications, educational resources, and student outcomes against national standards. This process is intended to ensure that graduates meet the competencies required for modern pharmaceutical practice.
Stakeholders in the pharmacy education sector, including university administrators, faculty members, and professional associations, have expressed support for the reform, noting that it strengthens the credibility of pharmacy qualifications and promotes alignment with international benchmarks for healthcare education.
The Ministry of Education oversees the designation and supervision of evaluation agencies, ensuring that accreditation decisions are made transparently and in accordance with national education policies. KPEE’s role includes conducting on-site reviews, issuing accreditation reports, and providing guidance for quality improvement.
As part of its mandate, KPEE maintains a public registry of accredited programs and regularly publishes evaluation criteria and procedures to promote accountability and informed decision-making among prospective students and educational institutions.
The recent legislative update reflects broader efforts to modernize healthcare education in South Korea, particularly in response to evolving demands in patient care, pharmaceutical innovation, and interprofessional collaboration. By integrating pharmacy education into the national quality assurance system, policymakers aim to strengthen the workforce pipeline for pharmacists in hospitals, community pharmacies, research institutions, and regulatory bodies.
Looking ahead, KPEE has indicated that it will continue to support institutions preparing for evaluation under the fresh framework, offering workshops, self-assessment tools, and consultation services to help pharmacy schools meet accreditation standards.
The next scheduled step in the process involves the Ministry of Education’s periodic review of designated evaluation agencies, which occurs every five years. The current designation of KPEE is valid through 2030, subject to ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements.
For the most current information on pharmacy education accreditation standards, evaluation procedures, or institutional status, readers are encouraged to consult the official website of the Korean Pharmaceutical Education Evaluation Institute or the Ministry of Education’s higher education division.
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