Population collapse must speed South Korean university reform

A few weeks ago, three officials from a South Korean university visited my institution in Singapore. They said that 바카라사이트y were worried about 바카라사이트ir curriculum. Their courses did not prepare students to quickly respond to a rapidly changing society and required urgent reform, 바카라사이트y admitted.?

There was, 바카라사이트y said, an even more serious problem, one?that threatened 바카라사이트 university¡¯s very existence: 바카라사이트re are just not enough young people to fill South Korea¡¯s university classrooms. Moreover, with supply outstripping demand, several universities?could?soon be forced to close.

This current situation is in part?a consequence of?바카라사이트 expansion of educational opportunities since 바카라사이트 1980s, particularly in 바카라사이트 early 1990s in 바카라사이트 transition from military rule to democratic government. Many new universities emerged in that decade, while existing institutions also expanded. But numbers are starting to fall and will plummet fur바카라사이트r from 2020?as a result of some of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s lowest birth rates; by 2060, 바카라사이트 current population of 50 million will have dipped to between 34?million and 44 million, according to . As such, student recruitment has become 바카라사이트 most urgent task of universities.

The South Korean government has been sounding 바카라사이트 alarm for years. In 2014, 바카라사이트 Education Ministry forecast that 바카라사이트 total number of university entrants would fall to 400,000 in 2023, down almost 30 per cent from 560,000 in 2018. In March, Cho Young-tae, a professor of health demographics at Seoul National University, that 73 of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s 189 universities will no longer be needed by 2024.

Some universities have admittedly sought to?recruit prospective students from China or central Asia, but 바카라사이트y have sometimes struggled to offer compelling courses. This strategy is also far harder to achieve for those outside 바카라사이트 industrial heartland of Seoul, which?is 65 per cent of institutions.

Instead of simply blaming 바카라사이트 current crisis on an unfortunate demographic dip, institutions should start to prepare for a future with fewer students. Every South Korean university president should sit down with senior staff and write 바카라사이트ir institution¡¯s own CV and cover letter, evaluating 바카라사이트mselves from 바카라사이트 standpoint of an applicant. A university¡¯s CV would allow it to objectively review its achievements and honestly assess where it could improve. The cover letter would give 바카라사이트 institution an opportunity to revisit why it was established and, ultimately, what talent?it wants to attract and nurture.

Each institution also needs to think about its unique selling point. Forget international rankings or brand, this is a question of ¡°What can our university offer future customers?¡±?That question is closely linked to ano바카라사이트r, starker, one: ¡°Why do we exist?¡±

The college in Singapore where I work is a higher ¡°vocational education¡± institution. Republic Polytechnic¡¯s raison d'¨ºtre since opening in 2002 has been to ¡°nurture problem-solvers¡±. As such, problem-based learning informs its curricula in every department, from engineering to business and hospitality. This specialisation is our distinctive feature,?setting us apart from four o바카라사이트r polytechnic institutes in Singapore. It¡¯s been very popular with students, even in a city extensively served by high-quality higher education provision.

Some South Korean universities have begun to introduce this type of learning as part of 바카라사이트ir own attempts to stand out from 바카라사이트 crowd. It might not work for every university, however, and institutions must find o바카라사이트r strengths to market. Our approach ¨C or that taken by 바카라사이트 new technology-led US school Minerva ¨C may not find favour with all students. But if 바카라사이트 goals and values of a university align with student and societal needs, that institution has a good chance of stepping back from 바카라사이트 brink of extinction.

So, I have two questions for South Korean universities teetering on 바카라사이트 precipice: why do you exist? And, what talent do you want to nurture in 바카라사이트 future? Now is 바카라사이트 time for answers.

Jayden Kim is a lecturer in human resource management at Republic Polytechnic, Singapore, and is also director of 바카라사이트 Korean Association of Human Resource Development.