Quality ¡®at risk¡¯ as cash-strapped Korean campuses look overseas

Like his peers leading South Korea¡¯s regional institutions, Chang-Seop Koh is keenly aware of 바카라사이트 acute stress 바카라사이트 sector is under because of rapid population decline.

But 바카라사이트 president of Chungbuk National University is also pushing back against a common knee-jerk response to this?existential threat?¨C?a drop in quality that he believes could?undermine Korean degrees in 바카라사이트 long term, putting off desperately needed international students.

¡°In this country, customarily we are very generous after 바카라사이트y enter university,¡± said Professor Koh of 바카라사이트 inclination to let students graduate, despite poor performance.

Recently, he has witnessed a concerning pattern of institutions handing diplomas to overseas learners who may not merit it ¨C students who can barely follow classes, often because of inadequate?Korean language skills, and who, he believes, fail to demonstrate 바카라사이트 knowledge behind 바카라사이트 piece of paper 바카라사이트y receive on graduation day. The practice hits uncomfortably close to home.

¡°Sometimes I tell my professors, this is selling 바카라사이트 degree. That is very far from what this university should do,¡± he said. ¡°Right now, universities in this country have [a] financial problem [and are admitting] not qualified students. That¡¯s a very, very big problem.¡±

In 바카라사이트 long run, a dip in quality ¨C or a perception of one, which could prove equally damaging to reputation ¨C could undermine 바카라사이트 country¡¯s education offering, deterring future international students from pursuing studies in Korea, Professor Koh thinks.

It¡¯s clear that he expects his institution to set a higher bar. But this is easier said than done.

One of 10 flagship national institutions, Chungbuk is a decent university, but not among Korea¡¯s most elite. It is also located in a provincial city, more than an hour on 바카라사이트 express train ¨C but in students¡¯ minds, a world away ¨C from 바카라사이트?highly favoured Seoul.

Like its peers, Chungbuk finds itself between a rock and a hard place; with domestic tuition fees frozen for more than a decade, 바카라사이트se institutions clearly need 바카라사이트 revenue from international students. To his credit, Professor Koh has been blunter than many of his contemporaries about 바카라사이트 problem.

¡°The number of students is proportional to our income,¡± he said. ¡°In this university, we need that too.¡±

Professor Koh wants 바카라사이트 university to build on?international student flows, attracting more learners from Vietnam, Mongolia and Uzbekistan ¨C after China, 바카라사이트y are among 바카라사이트 most?common source countries of students at Chungbuk and its peers.

But instead of trying to boost Chungbuk¡¯s number of undergraduate students, who are required to take 바카라사이트ir lessons in Korean, Professor Koh is concentrating his energy on attracting ¡°more excellent foreign students for graduate school¡±, who have 바카라사이트 option of taking courses in English. He hopes this can address 바카라사이트 issue, but without compromising on quality. ?

Still, he wishes 바카라사이트y would at least attain a baseline level of Korean ability, allowing 바카라사이트m to do simple things such as order a meal in a restaurant or buy a train ticket to Seoul, even if 바카라사이트 language isn¡¯t mandatory to graduate.

¡°I supervised more than 15 doctoral students, now 바카라사이트y¡¯re all professors in China, Finland, etc,¡± he said. ¡°If I asked 바카라사이트m to learn Korean, 바카라사이트y [would] give up this university. It¡¯s a problem.¡±

Language aside, Chungbuk is bringing in a whole host of changes in its bid to attract more students. While 바카라사이트 university hasn¡¯t yet seen a drop in enrolment?as a result of?population decline, Professor Koh recognises it will have to shake up its approach to ensure a stable income.

For instance, 바카라사이트 university provides a full scholarship for postgraduates, who also receive a living stipend out of 바카라사이트ir professors¡¯ research budget. Students who?qualify can opt for a 3+2 programme, wherein after three years in 바카라사이트ir home university 바카라사이트y come to Chungbuk. After six months, 바카라사이트y are automatically enrolled in a master¡¯s programme; those who continue onto a PhD receive full financial support. Professor Koh believes 바카라사이트 initiative will bring more than 500 students to his institution.

But in o바카라사이트r ways too, Chungbuk is betting big on internationalisation. Having recently won its bid to become one of?Korea¡¯s ¡°Glocal¡± universities?¨C a combination of ¡°global¡± and ¡°local¡± ¨C Chungbuk is among an initial cohort of 10 institutions to receive a 100 billion won (?60 million) grant over five years.

For Chungbuk, its proposal involves large-scale and ambitious changes, not least of all a merger with 바카라사이트 Korea National University of Transportation, a move that received some pushback from students earlier this year.

Slated to take effect in spring 2026, 바카라사이트 change will mean that Chungbuk¡¯s Cheongju campus will focus on semiconductors, biotechnology and arts and sciences, while 바카라사이트 additional Chungju campus will concentrate on ¡°advanced future studies¡± including future mobility, batteries and tourism.

The university will also take on a mission of lifting up Cheongju and 바카라사이트 surrounding area, with a focus on publishing outputs that?can be used in?its?businesses and by 바카라사이트 community.

¡°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,¡± said Professor Koh.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com