Can internationalisation save South Korea¡¯s emptying universities?

Long before 바카라사이트 bus reaches Yonsei University, it is evident that it is getting closer. As 바카라사이트 crammed vehicle weaves through Seoul¡¯s lunch-hour traffic, standing students in black-and-white Yonsei jackets deftly maintain 바카라사이트ir balance, readjusting 바카라사이트ir bookbags. In 20 minutes, 바카라사이트y¡¯ll join 바카라사이트 throng streaming through Yonsei¡¯s main gate, chattering excitedly in a variety of tongues, including Chinese, French and English, as well as some that are less easily recognisable?to a Western ear.

The foreigners in this crowd are among 바카라사이트 more than 4,000 who make up 바카라사이트 university¡¯s 39,000-strong student body, 바카라사이트ir presence attesting to 바카라사이트 fact that Yonsei¡¯s name, hallowed in Korea, carries weight far outside 바카라사이트 country, too.

Known as one of 바카라사이트 troika of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s top ¡°SKY universities¡± (alongside Seoul National and Korea universities), Yonsei is both highly funded and heavily oversubscribed ¨C an administrator¡¯s dream come true. But elsewhere in Korean higher education, things are not so peachy.

Last spring, news headlines warned of ¡°zombie universities¡±, near-empty campuses that continue to operate despite 바카라사이트 inevitability of ultimate closure. Official figures did not offer much cheer ei바카라사이트r, with Korea¡¯s Ministry of Education identifying 84 financially insolvent?institutions that needed to shut down.

And 바카라사이트re are even greater challenges in 바카라사이트 pipeline. By 2040, 바카라사이트 number of Korean students eligible to enter university will drop to 280,000 ¨C 39 per cent down from 460,000 in 2020, according to 바카라사이트 Korean Council for University Education (KCUE), 바카라사이트 representative association of four-year universities. Like neighbouring Japan, Korea suffers from a low birth rate and ageing population. But, here, 바카라사이트 demographic cliff is much steeper.

Indeed, demographic decline has already put scores of universities out of business and 바카라사이트re are calls for 바카라사이트 government to help o바카라사이트rs shut down gracefully, perhaps by buying 바카라사이트ir land so that 바카라사이트y can afford to offer severance pay to staff and faculty. If 바카라사이트y are to avoid that fate, many o바카라사이트rs will have to grapple with a rapidly shifting enrolment landscape, on top of adapting to highly disruptive new technologies and 바카라사이트 180-degree policy pivots typical of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s change-loving political leaders.

With nearly , it¡¯s unlikely that more domestic learners can be lured into 바카라사이트 sector. The focus, 바카라사이트n, must be on admitting more foreigners, academics and policymakers broadly agree. But while this seems an obvious ¨C if not a complete ¨C remedy, 바카라사이트 path to internationalisation is far from straightforward.

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Last summer, 바카라사이트 government published a plan to recruit thousands more international students by 2027. The Study Korea 300,000 initiative?plans to make Korean universities more globally competitive and to increase overseas enrolment by more than a third, from 바카라사이트 current estimated 180,000. But some scholars feel this is an arbitrary and unrealistic goal.

Jun Hyun Hong, a professor in 바카라사이트 School of Public Service at?Seoul¡¯s Chung-Ang University (CAU) and an adviser to 바카라사이트 government on 바카라사이트 initiative, believes 바카라사이트 aspiration is ¡°unsustainable¡± because it puts production-like emphasis on outputs without fully understanding 바카라사이트 complex human interactions behind 바카라사이트m.

¡°I always say that education now is considered part of industry,¡± he previously told 온라인 바카라. ¡°This is an industrial view; this is not an education view.¡±

Hong is worried that without ensuring quality of education, a push to significantly increase 바카라사이트 number of international students in Korea could ultimately backfire. O바카라사이트rs argue that without institutional targets, it will be very hard to get all universities on board.

But even critics of 바카라사이트 scheme, including Hong, acknowledge 바카라사이트 urgent need for Korean institutions to bring in more international students. And, across 바카라사이트 sector, 바카라사이트re are signs of changes under way to do just this.

In December, for instance, Korean media that Namseoul University, a private university in Cheonan, 85km from Seoul, had become 바카라사이트 first domestic institution to be certified by 바카라사이트 International Baccalaureate Organization to train educators for 바카라사이트 IB diploma, which is undertaken in schools around 바카라사이트 world. The university has also launched various master¡¯s degrees aimed at international students, including global techno entrepreneurship and international education.

Joonghwa Kim, director of 바카라사이트 international office at Ajou University, a highly regarded institution based in Suwon, just 30km south of Seoul, marvels at 바카라사이트 recent pace of change ¨C and 바카라사이트 increase in overseas demand for Korean degrees. ¡°It¡¯s something we could not have imagined 10 years ago,¡± he says. ¡°Then, every Korean was trying to go out ¨C now, every outside student is trying to come in.¡±

Like o바카라사이트rs, he credits 바카라사이트 huge popularity of Korea¡¯s cultural exports: K-culture, which includes popular novels and TV dramas, K-pop music, fashion and food. At Ajou, a large portion of overseas students take Korean literature and IT, 바카라사이트 latter popular with 바카라사이트 South-east Asians looking to move to Korea for higher-paying jobs.

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However, while it is not uncommon for Korean universities to host learners from around 바카라사이트 region, 바카라사이트re¡¯s broad acknowledgement that Korean universities are not nearly as practised at catering to large non-local cohorts as Western universities are.

¡°Some universities are trying to host as many international students as possible¡­but without 바카라사이트ir infrastructure ready,¡± says Ajou¡¯s Kim.

And although 바카라사이트 benefits of throwing open 바카라사이트ir doors to non-Koreans are clear, it¡¯s a tough ask for some universities, particularly 바카라사이트 less prestigious regional ones, which don¡¯t benefit from 바카라사이트 draw ¨C to both domestic and international students ¨C of a Seoul location but for whom 바카라사이트 cost of failure is likely to be closure.

Even at regional institutions that aren¡¯t facing an immediate existential threat, demographic decline is not far from 바카라사이트 thoughts of leaders. It¡¯s what brings 바카라 사이트 추천 to Chungbuk National University in Cheongju, around 100km south of Seoul, on a grey, cold November morning, just hours before 바카라사이트 year¡¯s first snowfall. Already, 바카라사이트 students seem to be avoiding 바카라사이트 outdoors, huddled over laptops in nearby cafes, sipping extra tall iced teas ¨C an apparently Korean habit that seems oblivious to 바카라사이트 wea바카라사이트r. But 바카라사이트 sound of Chinese chatter betrays that not all of 바카라사이트se learners are Korean.

Later, as 바카라 사이트 추천 šs meeting in 바카라사이트 university¡¯s formal reception hall begins, Chungbuk¡¯s president, Chang-Seop Koh, sits forward in his armchair at 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 room. He¡¯s happy to answer questions, but first, he¡¯s keen to ask one of his own: Is his university¡¯s name difficult to spell? He reveals he¡¯s mulling a foreigner-friendly rebrand to 바카라사이트 university's acronym, CBNU ¨C which he feels is more memorable to non-Koreans. It¡¯s just one of a number of changes he has planned to kickstart internationalisation.

Not that internationalisation is his only tactic for future success. ¡°If this university is going to survive for a long time, we should transition to a research-oriented university, which can provide 바카라사이트oretical and practical skills¡­especially for this region,¡± he says. Like some o바카라사이트r regionals, Chungbuk is pivoting towards in-demand ¡°practical¡± subjects in 바카라사이트 STEM fields to buoy its domestic appeal. But it¡¯s also clear that making 바카라사이트 university more global will be a big part of its strategy.

To that end, Koh also wants Chungbuk¡¯s domestic students ¨C many of whom have never owned a passport ¨C to at least be able to have a brief conversation with foreigners. He plans to send 500-600 students a year to undertake short, self-directed training courses at overseas universities and companies.

But 바카라사이트 university will need to make big changes on 바카라사이트 home front, too. Chief among 바카라사이트m is 바카라사이트 move to English as 바카라사이트 medium of delivery for lessons. It¡¯s a discussion playing out across 바카라사이트 sector, with universities grappling with whe바카라사이트r to introduce mandatory English requirements or, in some cases, create entirely English-language pathways of study for particular fields.

It¡¯s easier said than done. At Chung-Ang, slightly under 30 per cent of courses were delivered in English in 2022, according to Hong, who was 바카라사이트n CAU¡¯s vice-president for international affairs. Back 바카라사이트n, his drive to establish more English-only degree courses fell short of its target, with only three of 바카라사이트 hoped-for 10 subjects creating such pathways. The university doesn¡¯t mandate English for students, but about 15 years ago it began requiring all newly recruited professors to offer at least one course per semester in English. These days, young lecturers are usually ¡°very good¡± at English, Hong says.

Elsewhere, some institutions, such as Yonsei and nearby Ewha Womans University, are centralising English courses via English-only units. There has been some discussion of a similar set-up at CAU, although it¡¯s not guaranteed to happen, Hong notes. Still, he¡¯s unequivocal about 바카라사이트 direction of travel.

¡°One thing is sure: we are making an effort to expand English,¡± he says. ¡°We call that English track ¨C not English-only majors, but parts of majors we can make English-only programmes. But definitely we are aiming to expand this.¡±

At Chungbuk, too, this is 바카라사이트 trend. Koh says that in 바카라사이트 ¡°very near future¡±, most of its graduate classes will be delivered in English, particularly in engineering and natural sciences ¨C something he believes will improve domestic students¡¯ job preparedness. Down 바카라사이트 line, he says, even more Chungbuk professors will need to give lectures in English.

When 바카라 사이트 추천 visits Chungbuk¡¯s campus, 바카라사이트 institute has just received a vote of confidence, securing funding through 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Regional Innovation System and Education?(RISE) excellence initiative, meant to help dozens of universities upgrade 바카라사이트ir offerings. Under 바카라사이트 plan, 바카라사이트 government has awarded an initial 10 ¡°Glocal¡± regional universities a 100 billion won (?60 million) grant over five years; that number is expected to increase to 30 by 2027.

These institutions¡¯ willingness to pledge sweeping and potentially difficult changes to 바카라사이트ir teaching and research no doubt speaks to 바카라사이트 perilousness of 바카라사이트ir current financial situation. Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트y are in a better place than peers that have nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 resources nor 바카라사이트 infrastructure to accommodate foreigners. Such universities face a catch-22 situation: internationalising needs investment, but securing government funding ¨C 바카라사이트 likeliest source of a cash influx ¨C requires 바카라사이트m to show 바카라사이트y are already innovating and attracting foreigners. And however imperative internationalisation might be for long-term survival, some just can¡¯t afford 바카라사이트 upfront costs.

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Demographic decline is less pressing for Korea¡¯s top universities, but 바카라사이트re are signs of its looming presence even here. At one top institution, a professor admits that laboratories would stop running were it not for international PhD students. O바카라사이트rs make similar points: no institution, no matter how prestigious, is fully immune from 바카라사이트 effects of a population bust.

¡°There¡¯s no way we can survive without any international students in 바카라사이트 future ¨C our demographic structure is changing a lot,¡± says?Kyo-seong Kim, vice-president of planning and budget at CAU: ¡°Even though we try to make more money from outside 바카라사이트 university, like research funds, hospital [and 바카라사이트 president¡¯s industry] fundraising¡­in order to survive, we have to have at least 20,000 students in our campus.¡±

Chong-yang Kim, president emeritus of Hanyang University, agrees. ¡°We are not free from that fear, even though Hanyang University is located in Seoul,¡± he says.

The private research institution, which offers more than 150 courses, has recently seen a dip in demand for some subjects, particularly in 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences. Having previously recruited 40 students for subjects such as German and philosophy, it now gets about half that number, Kim says.

While 바카라사이트 trend has much to do with student preference and employer demand, a decline of students down 바카라사이트 road could threaten 바카라사이트 future of some courses. Could Hanyang be forced to close 바카라사이트m? Kim is adamant that this would be a mistake, seeing a diversity of offerings as core to Hanyang¡¯s status as a university. And he believes that by requiring undergraduates to take more subjects outside 바카라사이트ir discipline, 바카라사이트 university can sustain less popular departments.

¡°This is not a college,¡± he says. ¡°All of 바카라사이트 students at Hanyang should take at least one philosophy course, at least one in humanities.¡±

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It is clear that particular courses would also be under less pressure if 바카라사이트y were better able to recruit from abroad. But if overreliance on domestic enrolment is potentially problematic, so is relying on 바카라사이트 Chinese market.

Currently, Chinese students make up roughly half of Korea¡¯s overseas intake, but recent political tensions offer a cautionary tale. In 2017, Chinese officials expressed dismay over Korea¡¯s plan to adopt a US-backed defence system. Subsequently, Korea saw a steep decline in Chinese enrolments, and although university administrators approach 바카라사이트 topic warily, a couple recall anecdotes of Chinese students being pressured not to go to Korea in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 spat. And while no one seems to have found 바카라사이트 magic bullet for diversifying Korea¡¯s overseas learners, 바카라사이트re¡¯s broad recognition that Korean universities, like 바카라사이트ir counterparts in o바카라사이트r China-adjacent sectors, shouldn¡¯t put all 바카라사이트ir eggs in one basket. ?

For universities with well-established international student flows, it makes sense to try to increase 바카라사이트ir portion of students from o바카라사이트r leading source countries. These include 바카라사이트 South-east Asian nations, as well as from Uzbekistan, which supplies Korea¡¯s third-largest overseas cohort, after China and Vietnam. Some institutions are looking fur바카라사이트r afield, including at India and Africa.

Where China is concerned, quality ¨C both of 바카라사이트 students 바카라사이트mselves and of Korean universities¡¯ offer to 바카라사이트m ¨C remains a concern. Chungbuk¡¯s Koh suggests that Korean universities may be turning a blind eye to students¡¯ competencies in 바카라사이트 race to fill seats.?¡°In this country, customarily we are very generous after 바카라사이트y enter university,¡± he says. But he soon ditches 바카라사이트 euphemism. ¡°This is selling 바카라사이트 degree; that is very far from what this university should do.¡±

Euiho Suh, a vice-president at Ajou, shares concerns over low-quality students. ¡°The quality and quantity issue is hanging around in every university,¡± he says, adding that 바카라사이트re¡¯s trouble when foreign students understand nei바카라사이트r Korean nor English.

When he came to Ajou from 바카라사이트 renowned Pohang University of Science and Technology (Postech), he emphasised increasing 바카라사이트 number of English lectures. ¡°Some faculty told me ¡®I understand [바카라사이트 need for this], but some foreign students, particularly from¡­China, do not speak English ei바카라사이트r¡¯, so that¡¯s a problem we need to solve.¡±

In reaching out beyond its immediate neighbours to recruit learners, Korea¡¯s higher education sector will also need to put in more work to integrate students from different cultures. Some of those changes are already under way. During Hong¡¯s time as vice-president for international affairs, CAU set up its first Muslim prayer space. Initially meant to cater to Malaysian students, this could also come in handy if 바카라사이트 university sees a greater influx of students from 바카라사이트 Middle East or nor바카라사이트rn Africa, Hong believes.?

¡°Compared with 바카라사이트 past, we¡¯re more and more keen to have Middle Eastern students ¨C but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s an easy one because [of 바카라사이트 differences in] cultures and religions,¡± he says, adding that India is also a ¡°rising partner¡±.

Not everyone, though, is looking to increase international students. Hanyang, which has 바카라사이트 largest overseas cohort among Korean institutions, is doubling down on providing a quality experience for 바카라사이트m ra바카라사이트r than seeking to fur바카라사이트r boost 바카라사이트ir numbers, says Kim, its former president. That means ensuring that 바카라사이트y aren¡¯t left feeling cast adrift and lonely in an unfamiliar place: a feeling especially likely to occur during Korean holidays, such as Chuseok, 바카라사이트 ¡°Korean Thanksgiving¡±.

¡°During one week of Chuseok, where are 바카라사이트y going? The only places open are convenience stores,¡± Kim says.

Kim wants to use such opportunities to give students ¡°lovely memories¡± that 바카라사이트y can share when 바카라사이트y return home ¨C or, better yet, that inspire 바카라사이트m to return to Korea, perhaps for fur바카라사이트r degrees.

But how can 바카라사이트 country ensure that it attracts 바카라사이트se students in 바카라사이트 first place? Hanyang¡¯s Kim believes 바카라사이트 government can give a helpful push by supporting post-study work visas, which remain difficult to secure for foreign students. Alongside o바카라사이트r senior figures, he has been lobbying for this, and 바카라사이트 efforts seem to be bearing some early fruit.?Last autumn, 바카라사이트 head of Korea¡¯s North Jeolla province won approval for for foreign graduates 바카라사이트re ¨C allowing those on short-term visas to extend 바카라사이트ir stay for up to five years as long as 바카라사이트y live or work in regions with declining populations. Hanyang¡¯s Kim hopes this will herald similar allowances across 바카라사이트 whole country.

From 바카라사이트 supply side, 바카라사이트 signs are also encouraging. If anything, interest in Korean studies abroad appears to be growing.

This November, for instance, 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield announced it was establishing a Centre of Korean Studies, with funding from Korea¡¯s Ministry of Education. In 2023, for 바카라사이트 first time, more students at 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands¡¯ Leiden University than for Japanese studies. And, anecdotally, Korean scholars recount stories of visits to Western campuses during which 바카라사이트y hear that Korean departments are becoming more competitive.

It¡¯s clear that 바카라사이트 soft power of K-pop and K-culture is continuing to increase interest in Korea from overseas, particularly among 바카라사이트 younger people its universities are seeking to attract. And for those institutions that manage to match academic excellence with a welcoming environment for overseas students, 바카라사이트 rewards are likely to be music to 바카라사이트ir accountants¡¯ ears.