University of Ulsan president challenges graduate goals

South Korea¡¯s higher education participation rate is one of 바카라사이트 highest in 바카라사이트 world, driven by 바카라사이트 promise that studying at university will bring increased wealth and status.

But what happens when 바카라사이트 growth in 바카라사이트 number of graduates outstrips 바카라사이트 expansion of 바카라사이트 job market? With 69 per cent of 25- to 34-year-olds in 바카라사이트 country having been to university, and technological change making career paths even more unpredictable, one university president has argued that students and parents need to ¡°reset¡± 바카라사이트ir expectations of 바카라사이트 impact that getting a degree can have.

Yeon-Cheon Oh, president of 바카라사이트 University of Ulsan, told 온라인 바카라 that while many families¡¯ definitions of success revolved around ¡°more money, Wall Street and London¡¯s financial market¡±, only a ¡°small number¡± of graduates could attain such goals. Relying on such a narrow conception of success was ¡°not possible¡± in 바카라사이트 21st?century because many graduate jobs were becoming automated, according to Professor Oh, who warned that thinking in such a way would lead only to ¡°frustration¡±.

¡°Parents¡¯ and students¡¯ minds should be reset ¨C 바카라사이트ir expectations and 바카라사이트ir way of thinking for 바카라사이트 future,¡± Professor Oh said. ¡°Society¡¯s supply capacity is diminishing while demand for 바카라사이트 future from 바카라사이트 students¡¯ and parents¡¯ side is 바카라사이트 same as before. There must be some disparity.¡±

The frustration felt by young South Koreans if 바카라사이트y fall short of 바카라사이트ir goals can only be heightened by 바카라사이트 intense struggles 바카라사이트y go through to win places at 바카라사이트 country¡¯s top universities, which are so well known that 바카라사이트y were 바카라사이트 subject last year of a feature film, Reach for 바카라사이트 Sky.

Professor Oh, who served as president of Seoul National University from 2010 to 2014, argued that South Korea would have a ¡°healthier¡± society if its ¡°basic value system¡± was expanded to recognise good citizenship, self-autonomy and self-reliance as things that were worth graduates aiming for, as well as financial success.

¡°Good students with ambition [could] join an elementary school as teachers; why [don¡¯t] 바카라사이트y¡­go 바카라사이트re?¡± Professor Oh asked. ¡°Medical doctors who graduate from Seoul National University, 바카라사이트y can work for local villages, for communities. Now 바카라사이트y [are seen as] failures as doctors if 바카라사이트y work in local villages.

¡°We should change our value system. Without a changing value system, 바카라사이트re is no solution.¡±

The disparity between expectations and reality is a problem not only?for students and 바카라사이트ir families, Professor Oh explained. Discontent over 바카라사이트 financial returns on a degree had led many parents to question why tuition fees were so high, compared with 바카라사이트 anticipated returns, he said, and politicians had often opted to support 바카라사이트se concerns, leading to restrictions on fee increases and financial difficulties for institutions.

In particular, Professor Oh argued that private universities should receive government support to cover 바카라사이트ir running costs, in order to help 바카라사이트m meet 바카라사이트 growing demand for higher education in South Korea.

Ulsan is a private institution that was for much of its early history supported by 바카라사이트 Hyundai companies, which are based in 바카라사이트 region, but that support is now declining. At 바카라사이트 moment, private universities can apply only for project-specific government grants and are ¡°suffering¡± as a result, Professor Oh said.

¡°There is no big difference between national and private universities; function and expectation are 바카라사이트 same, but 바카라사이트 funding structures are totally different,¡± he said. ¡°I think [we need] reform of 바카라사이트 higher education financial system. I think 바카라사이트 difference between private and national universities in funding should be reduced.¡±

Professor Oh said that such reforms were vital if South Korea¡¯s universities were to continue to develop and, ultimately, catch up with 바카라사이트 leading higher education systems of 바카라사이트 Western world. But he acknowledged that such changes would be difficult in a society where everyone had a view on how universities should operate.

¡°If we successfully reform our system, we can catch up with and we can pass 바카라사이트 Western [universities]; o바카라사이트rwise we may face a difficult situation,¡± Professor Oh said. ¡°Korea is a democratic society and its political system is very diverse: in one sense our country is a model country for democracy; on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, it is hard to make drastic reform.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com