Kyungpook National University (KNU) is set to operate an overseas franchise program, a move that officials describe as a milestone in the global expansion of the country’s public higher education system. The university will export its academic curriculum to Vietnam’s FPT University, where it will oversee instruction and administration. Local students will be able to complete the same coursework offered in Korea and earn a degree from the Korean institution without leaving Vietnam. FPT is Vietnam’s largest IT company, with core businesses in software and telecommunications, and operates FPT University to train technology students. According to the Ministry of Education, Wednesday, the two universities will sign a memorandum of agreement for the franchise program in Hanoi on Thursday. The agreement marks the first time a Korean public university will operate its own curriculum at an overseas university. Several private universities, including Ajou University and Inha University, have similar programs. Until now, overseas activities by national universities have largely been limited to