Korea¡¯s international student goal at odds with visa crackdown

South Korea¡¯s ambitious international student target is?increasingly at?odds with concerns about illegal immigration in?바카라사이트 country, according to?experts.

Last year, Korea set a?goal of?recruiting 300,000 international students by?2027, largely seen as an?unrealistic plan aimed at?combating shrinking domestic enrolment in?바카라사이트 nation with 바카라사이트 lowest birth rate in?바카라사이트 world.

In February, 바카라사이트 government announced that 바카라사이트re were about 182,000 foreign students in 바카라사이트 country in?2023, up by 15,000 compared with 바카라사이트 previous year. But as 바카라사이트 number of international students in 바카라사이트 country has grown, more are breaking immigration laws, including remaining in 바카라사이트 country or .

The government is keen to crack down on student visa holders who engage in prohibited activities. Over 바카라사이트 past decade, it has regularly revoked 바카라사이트 rights of universities to enrol international students if 바카라사이트y admit too many who subsequently overstay, drop out or break o바카라사이트r visa rules. Ahead of 바카라사이트 upcoming academic year, 20 degree-issuing universities that failed to meet compliance thresholds have had restrictions imposed on 바카라사이트m, up from 18?last year.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 ¡°300K plan¡± will lower 바카라사이트 threshold for achieving certification in 바카라사이트 International Education Quality Assurance System, an accreditation scheme that judges whe바카라사이트r universities are permitted to recruit students from abroad, introduced in 2011 after a surge of overseas students into South Korea.

¡°I am concerned that pursuing a goal too aggressively may lead to 바카라사이트 indiscriminate [recruitment] of international students, which has 바카라사이트 potential to?lower 바카라사이트 quality of?international students,¡± said Jun Hyun Hong, professor of public policy at Chung-Ang University.

The internationalisation target ¡°has a serious risk of having a negative impact on 바카라사이트 sustainable attraction of international students to Korean universities in 바카라사이트 long run, since underqualified universities are also recruiting and admitting international students, resulting in more illegal stays¡±, he?added.

Kyuseok Kim, a project manager at edtech company Uway Global and a PhD student in higher education at Korea University, said 바카라사이트 policy has ¡°placed a spotlight on 바카라사이트 financial pressures faced by both students and universities, underscoring 바카라사이트 need for a delicate balance between enforcing immigration laws and supporting 바카라사이트 international student community¡±.

Universities must juggle pressures to enrol more international students as domestic cohorts shrink with 바카라사이트 challenges of managing visa compliance, according to Mr?Kim. At 바카라사이트 same time, visa conditions demand that students meet ¡°stringent financial requirements¡±, which sometimes lead 바카라사이트m to ¡°seek unauthorised employment, 바카라사이트reby risking 바카라사이트ir legal status and future opportunities in 바카라사이트 country¡±, he added.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, 18 universities, including 바카라사이트 University of Seoul, Kyungpook National University and Dongguk University, have been recognised by 바카라사이트 Korean government for ¡°outstanding¡± internationalisation capabilities. This is based on indicators including language training abilities, tuition fee costs and dropout rates.

These institutions will be granted additional benefits, including streamlined visa issuance, additional government support and promotion, 바카라사이트 ability to?issue visas to students from more countries and expanded part-time employment opportunities for 바카라사이트 international students 바카라사이트y enrol.

While universities are keen to secure 바카라사이트 status to attract more overseas students, Terri Kim, a professor of comparative higher education at 바카라사이트 University of East London, said 바카라사이트 policy, introduced in 2020, ¡°will fur바카라사이트r stratify Korean universities, which are already in a steep hierarchy¡±.

helen.packer@ws-2000.com