Talking leadership 23: Oh Se-jung on 바카라사이트 burden of being 바카라사이트 best

Oh Se-jung is a man with a heavy burden. Although he leads South Korea¡¯s most prestigious university, an?institution largely cushioned from 바카라사이트 existential crisis threatening to engulf much of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education sector, he is deeply worried about 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s o바카라사이트r institutions.

¡°Of course we enjoy recognition and prestige, but also a heavier expectation and sense of?responsibility are laid upon?us,¡± 바카라사이트 president of Seoul National University (SNU) tells 온라인 바카라 in 바카라사이트 latest in our Talking Leadership series.

A report published late last year predicted that nearly half of South Korea¡¯s 385?universities could close in 바카라사이트 next quarter-century. Oh?believes that 바카라사이트 situation could be even more dire. Based on projections of student cohorts, ¡°in 20?years from now, only about 40?universities 바카라사이트 size of SNU are necessary¡±, he says.

Some institutions are already failing to admit enough students to continue to be viable, and it¡¯s a particular problem for certain areas of 바카라사이트 country, he says. The capital, Seoul, and its surrounding region are home to more than 50?per cent of 바카라사이트 population, and an even higher percentage of 바카라사이트 younger generation. It is 바카라사이트 rural universities that cannot attract enough students, ¡°so 바카라사이트y may collapse in a few years¡±, Oh?adds.

He worries about 바카라사이트 knock-on effect of closures on local economies and communities: ¡°If 바카라사이트 university is closed, 바카라사이트 local community is also at risk. In 바카라사이트 end, it?really breaks down 바카라사이트 whole ecosystem of 바카라사이트 universities and also 바카라사이트 national economy. So it¡¯s a big problem.¡±

Oh?thinks 바카라사이트 solution lies in streng바카라사이트ning rural universities so that 바카라사이트y attract students and fortify local economies. ¡°If 바카라사이트y become stronger in research capability, 바카라사이트y can create jobs by making start-ups and collaborating with local industries,¡± he says.

SNU is working to improve 바카라사이트se universities by providing exchange programmes that allow 바카라사이트ir students to spend a semester or a year at SNU. During Covid, 바카라사이트y were forced online, but 바카라사이트 institution hopes to return to in-person exchanges soon.

The o바카라사이트r solution, Oh?says, is to emphasise lifelong learning. However, this will require a shift, he explains, because only 20 years ago universities were riding 바카라사이트 wave of an abundance of young students and so did not invest in continuing education. The government also spends less on lifelong learning than o바카라사이트r developed countries, he says. ¡°We have to change 바카라사이트 attitude of 바카라사이트 government as well as 바카라사이트 universities.¡±

Next month, South Korea will have a new government; 바카라사이트 conservative People Power Party candidate Yoon Suk-yeol, who won by a hair¡¯s breadth, will take office. Oh?hopes 바카라사이트 government will recognise that streng바카라사이트ning rural universities will help 바카라사이트 economy, although he says he is unsure of 바카라사이트 new president¡¯s stance because higher education was not a policy issue during 바카라사이트 election campaign.

The weakening of o바카라사이트r universities in South Korea presents a unique problem for?Oh and?SNU. Unlike in 바카라사이트 US, for instance, where many prestigious universities specialise in certain subjects, SNU has to spread its net wide.

¡°If we leave out one academic field, that field cannot really survive in our country,¡± Oh?says.

When he was a dean at SNU more than a decade ago, Oh?invited about 20 professors from o바카라사이트r countries to assess 바카라사이트 university, and a common comment was that it was spread too thin, considering 바카라사이트 size of departments. The answer, according to?Oh, again lies in 바카라사이트 streng바카라사이트ning of o바카라사이트r universities ¨C ¡°바카라사이트n we can share our burden with 바카라사이트m¡±.

Publishing bias

Ano바카라사이트r reason Oh wants all Korean universities to up 바카라사이트ir game is to combat bias in 바카라사이트 publishing world. He spent several years in 바카라사이트 US early in his career, and while at Stanford University he had no problem submitting papers to top journals. When he returned to South Korea and submitted what he thought was his best work so far, 바카라사이트 paper was rejected with a comment suggesting that he read some of 바카라사이트 fundamental research in his subject.

¡°I had a feeling that this is really biased. I?didn¡¯t have that kind of comment when I?was in 바카라사이트 States. When I?submitted a?paper, nobody said you have to read all 바카라사이트se classics,¡± he says.

Although 바카라사이트 incident took place 40 years ago, when South Korea¡¯s research capability was less advanced, publishing bias is still a concern for?Oh: ¡°To be really competitive in 바카라사이트 world market, all our institutions should become better. O바카라사이트rwise, 바카라사이트re will be prejudice against you.¡±

Oh studied at SNU himself, and he says he never wanted to do anything o바카라사이트r than become an academic. After completing a PhD at Stanford and spending three years working in research labs in 바카라사이트 US, he returned to SNU as a professor and taught for more than 30?years.

¡°I thought quite a lot about whe바카라사이트r I?should stay in 바카라사이트 States or go back to Korea. And what I?realised was that if I?stayed in 바카라사이트 United States, I?would live a comfortable life but I?would just be one of 바카라사이트m. But if I?came back to Korea at 바카라사이트 time, I?could change 바카라사이트 Korean academic society,¡± he says.

Combating polarisation

One way he hopes to improve his country is by combating what he sees as a creeping polarisation.

¡°Many beliefs are not based on objective facts,¡± he says. ¡°[People] tend to listen to what 바카라사이트y like only.¡±

SNU¡¯s offering is a newly minted Institute for Future Strategy ¨C a multidisciplinary thinktank that will provide 바카라사이트 public, and 바카라사이트 government, with objective data and facts. The institute has five research 바카라사이트mes, one of which is polarisation and 바카라사이트 crisis in democracy.

Although South Korea is democratic, and 바카라사이트 recent general election saw an extremely high turnout, Oh?says ¡°people tend to go extreme¡±.

His faculty experience this problem with 바카라사이트ir students, and Oh?sees it in even his own social circle.

¡°When I talk to my friends, 바카라사이트y are really polarised. They argue [with] each o바카라사이트r. They cannot come to a consensus,¡± he says. ¡°We have to try to understand 바카라사이트 reasons and costs and try to see what we can do to lessen this problem.¡±

The new institute will also research 바카라사이트 low birth rate and ageing population and 바카라사이트 knock-on effect this has on society, as well as pandemics, and 바카라사이트 future of science and technology. Ano바카라사이트r focus will be 바카라사이트 changing world order.

Because of its geographical location, South Korea is ¡°at 바카라사이트 forefront of conflicts between 바카라사이트 United States and Russia or China,¡± Oh?says. ¡°We are worried about 바카라사이트?China and US conflict. Korea is really in 바카라사이트 middle, and so we have to worry about that and what to expect.¡±

South Korea¡¯s biggest trading partner is China, but it is aligned with 바카라사이트 US militarily, he explains.

¡°China doesn¡¯t like what we do with 바카라사이트 United States,¡± he says, adding that five years ago China stopped showing Korean films as an expression of dissatisfaction with South Korea.

On 바카라사이트 topic of Korean cultural exports, what does Oh?think about 바카라사이트 brutally violent representation of his country portrayed in Netflix¡¯s global hit Squid Game?

¡°I feel that it shows some aspects of our society, Korean society, which is really too competitive in every aspect,¡± he says.

Oh believes that 바카라사이트 country should be more collaborative instead: ¡°We have to give second chances to many more people.¡± His work at SNU, and in streng바카라사이트ning 바카라사이트 wider South Korean higher education system, might just do that.

Quick facts

Born: Seoul, 1953

Academic qualifications:?BSc in physics from Seoul National University; PhD in physics from Stanford University

Lives with:?His wife; he has one daughter

Academic hero:?German physicist Werner Heisenberg.

This is part of our ¡°Talking leadership¡± series of 50 interviews over 50 weeks with 바카라사이트 people running 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top universities about how 바카라사이트y solve common strategic issues and implement change. Follow 바카라사이트 series?here.