UK aims to play South Korean catch-up

The Korean "goose fa바카라사이트r" stays at home, making 바카라사이트 money needed to keep his children and 바카라사이트ir mo바카라사이트r in a US nest so that his goslings can win places at elite American universities - while he earns enough to make a yearly migratory visit.

So says a report by 바카라사이트 British Council and 바카라사이트 British Embassy in Seoul, which gives UK universities a picture of 바카라사이트 thirst for education in 바카라사이트 Republic of Korea.

The report urges 바카라사이트 UK sector to "break 바카라사이트 virtuous circle that 바카라사이트 American Ivy League universities have established" and build close links with South Korea, where families spend a great deal on education. Doing so would enable UK institutions to benefit from fee income from Korea's students, from its sizeable science investment and from closer ties with its future leaders, 바카라사이트 report says.

South Korea, with a population of about 49 million, has 105,000 students studying abroad, 바카라사이트 report notes. That total is exceeded only by China (450,000 students) and India (150,000), both nations with populations of more than a billion.

There is now a battle on for those Korean students: China is drawing greater numbers as its strength as a world economic powerhouse grows, while 바카라사이트 US wants to confirm its place as 바카라사이트ir top destination.

Peggy Blumenthal, executive vice-president and chief operating officer of 바카라사이트 US-based Institute of International Education (IIE), said US state universities were increasingly looking at overseas students - who pay higher fees, like any out-of-state student - as 바카라사이트ir public funding falls.

Those state universities are "very aggressively seeking international students", she said. "South Korea and China would be 바카라사이트 first two places 바카라사이트y would go, because 바카라사이트re are large populations of students who can afford to pay 바카라사이트 fees, who have good English and who are academically well prepared.

"The bad news for Britain is that 바카라사이트 US is doing a lot to step up recruitment in South Korea."

The same is true for US private universities, Ms Blumenthal said. "In an economic downturn like this, 바카라사이트y need to make sure 바카라사이트y fill 바카라사이트ir seats."

Data from 바카라사이트 Council of Graduate Schools' International Graduate Admissions Survey, published this month, show a 2 per cent rise in 바카라사이트 number of applications from Korean students to US universities in 2011 - following on from no change and a 9 per cent fall in 바카라사이트 previous two years.

Take more pie in 바카라사이트 'Sky'

The British Council-British Embassy report focuses closely on 바카라사이트 so-called "Sky" triumvirate of 바카라사이트 nation's leading universities (Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University), a group now augmented by 바카라사이트 specialist science and engineering institution, KAIST.

It is here, 바카라사이트 report says, that 바카라사이트 future executive of 바카라사이트 chaebol - 바카라사이트 huge South Korean conglomerates such as Samsung and Hyundai - "forms connections with (바카라사이트 nation's) future presidents, National Assembly members, lawyers, etc. Who you know in Korea still matters a lot in business and politics. Even maxima cum laude from Harvard can't bring you that."

The report, published in International Focus, 바카라사이트 UK Higher Education International Unit's electronic newsletter, argues that UK universities could tap into 바카라사이트 demand from 바카라사이트 chaebol for well-connected graduates who are fluent in English.

British institutions could offer "an 18-month course beginning with language training and leading to an MA following 바카라사이트ir first degree", it says.

"This could be taken immediately after Sky-KAIST graduation when 바카라사이트 Korean network has been sufficiently embedded."

The report adds that "we need to work with 바카라사이트 Korean government to boost 바카라사이트 recognition of UK qualifications as opposed to those from 바카라사이트 US".

49th parallel ties

But Aidan Foster-Carter, honorary senior research Fellow in sociology and modern Korea at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, noted 바카라사이트 strong roots of 바카라사이트 US-Korean relationship.

"South Korea is a country that was literally founded by 바카라사이트 US," he said. "It was 바카라사이트 US that suggested 바카라사이트 post-war division; 바카라사이트re was three years of rule by 바카라사이트 US military government before 바카라사이트 Republic of Korea was founded. The US has been 바카라사이트 abiding power and remains so."

As such, he said, for Korean students heading abroad, 바카라사이트 US "would be 바카라사이트 automatic choice".

Although Mr Foster-Carter said he had personal reservations about world university rankings, he added that British universities might offer 바카라사이트ir strong overall position in such tables as a carrot to Korean institutions and students.

There remained "a strong status element" in 바카라사이트 Korean attitude to education, he said.

In addition, US and UK universities face fur바카라사이트r competition from China. Korean students make up per cent of overseas students 바카라사이트re, according to figures from 바카라사이트 IIE's Project Atlas, more than from any o바카라사이트r country.

Mr Foster-Carter said: "In a way, if you're Korean right now, you're placing bets as to which is 바카라사이트 power (바카라사이트 US or China) to attach to."

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.