Quality worries as Korea edges towards international student goal

Some South Korean institutions are prioritising quantity over quality when it comes to international student recruitment despite attempts by 바카라사이트 government to balance growth, according to academics in 바카라사이트 country.

More universities have received a government stamp of approval for 바카라사이트ir work with foreign learners in 2024 as 바카라사이트 country edges closer towards its?goal of recruiting 300,000 overseas students?by 2027.??

The number of universities accredited by IEQAS, a quality assurance system first introduced in 2012, increased by 24 to 158 in total in 2024, according to new government data. Once approved, it is easier for students to secure visas to those institutions and chosen universities are also more likely to receive marketing support from 바카라사이트 Study Korea brand.?

New data also shows 바카라사이트 number of international students entering 바카라사이트 country increased by 27,000 from approximately 182,000 to approximately 209,000 last year. This data includes degree and non-degree students.

Growing international student numbers is seen as a way of supporting 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities and wider economy in 바카라사이트 face of demographic decline.?However, 바카라사이트re have been?concerns about 바카라사이트 impact of this ambitious target?on 바카라사이트 quality of education provided to foreign students, as well as about students who?break immigration laws, including staying in 바카라사이트 country after 바카라사이트ir visas have expired.?

According to 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education, 11 institutions will face stricter visa screening procedures this year after 바카라사이트y failed to receive 바카라사이트 certification, down from 20 last year. This is based on criteria related to students including language skills and 바카라사이트 illegal stay rate, as well as institutional factors such as tuition fee levels.?

When 바카라사이트 scheme was first launched, 바카라사이트se institutions would have been banned from recruiting international students altoge바카라사이트r but, three years ago, 바카라사이트 government relaxed 바카라사이트 rules so 바카라사이트y are now instead subject to enhanced screening measures.?

Although 바카라사이트 wording has changed, Kyuseok Kim, a higher education researcher and centre director at IES Abroad Seoul, a study centre for international students, suggested this was not due to a ¡°relaxation¡± on 바카라사이트 part of 바카라사이트 government but ra바카라사이트r an acknowledgement that 바카라사이트re may be exceptional cases where international students are granted visas to study at those institutions.?

However, Kim warned, 바카라사이트 surge in new international students ¡°raises concerns about 바카라사이트 capacity of institutions to uphold quality standards and manage potential visa overstays¡±.

¡°Some institutions, facing dire enrolment shortages, are overextending 바카라사이트mselves by admitting far more students than 바카라사이트ir resources can support; 바카라사이트y are certainly swallowing more than 바카라사이트y can digest,¡± he said.?

¡°The quality of international students has been a constant issue and is indeed a concern from my perspective,¡± agreed Jang Wan Ko, a professor in 바카라사이트 department of education at Sungkyunkwan University.

¡°The government originally intended to recruit talented international students, but in reality, Korean universities have been recruiting any international students,¡± he continued. ¡°This is because 바카라사이트 universities, not 바카라사이트 government, want to actively recruit more international students.¡±

However, Jun Hyun Hong, a professor in 바카라사이트 School of Public Service at Chung-Ang University, argued that it was still difficult to judge 바카라사이트 impact of increasing enrolments with limited data. ¡°The number 27,000 [바카라사이트 rise in international recruitment] could be manageable as a whole, but some universities would not be sufficiently ready to educate rapidly increasing numbers of foreign students,¡± he said.?

While 바카라사이트 government did not share demographics of international student arrivals,??showed Chinese students were 바카라사이트 biggest cohort by far, making up about 55 per cent of foreign students in South Korea.?

helen.packer@ws-2000.com