The COVID-19 pandemic has held sway over the globe for over two years now, yet the fervor of countless experts involved in internationalization at local Korean universities remains undeterred. In January, approximately 230 faculty and staff members from various local universities converged at the 22nd regular general meeting of the Korean Association of International Educators in Jeju. The gathering served as a platform for them to engage in fervent dialogues on innovation and development in international exchange, as well as the management of foreign student recruitment. This could be attributed not only to their concerted efforts toward internationalizing domestic universities, but potentially also to their experience working in American universities operating within Korea.
The idea of 'internationalization' has entrenched itself as a top policy priority in our universities for over two decades. Despite apprehensions over rapid quantitative growth and the manifestation of unintended consequences, it is indisputable that many Korean universities have made substantial strides in expanding their global reach and becoming active players on the international stage. There is a marked increase in the number of 'foreigners' on campuses, and various global university rankings have also seen notable improvements. In light of past triumphs and setbacks, what could be the strategic endeavors and benchmarks that each university could adopt to bolster the international competitiveness of domestic universities in the post-COVID era?
As per the US-based Cross-Border Education Research Team (C-BERT), which studies the establishment and management of overseas campuses, as of 2020, there are approximately 300 'International Campuses' set up in about 80 countries globally. The countries that have set up the most campuses are the United States (86 campuses), the United Kingdom (43 campuses), and France (38 campuses). Inha University's Tashkent campus, considered a vanguard in the establishment and operation of overseas campuses among Korean universities, is included in this list. The educational reform plan of May 31, 1995, during the Kim Young-sam administration, stressed international competitiveness in higher education and permitted domestic universities to set up overseas campuses (branches). In 2013, the government outlined specific policy directions to encourage the overseas growth of domestic universities in a comprehensive development plan for higher education. Why haven't there been more success stories since then?
According to a research report (Yoo Ui-jeong et al., 2021) released by the National Assembly Research Institute, the Higher Education Act amendment in 2017 and the enforcement ordinance amendment in 2018 laid the legal groundwork for Korean universities to expand overseas. However, these changes are not actively linked to the actual 'overseas expansion of higher education' and numerous institutional hurdles persist. During a recent conversation I had with the head of the International Office at a university in the Seoul metropolitan area, which is actively promoting joint educational programs overseas, the comment that "it's better not to pursue international cooperation in curriculum, if possible" seemed more than a jest. I pondered whether there might be a genuine rationale behind such a remark. Possibly it was meant to expose the regret of not having systemic reform from a promotional standpoint, rather than a controlling one.
The institution I am affiliated with, 'State University of New York, Korea' (SUNY Korea), is an overseas campus established by the State University of New York (SUNY) system in Songdo, Korea. It provides regular degree programs from six departments of Stony Brook University and two departments of the Fashion Institute of Technology, both part of the 64 SUNY institutions. Since its launch in 2012 with an inaugural class of around 30 graduate students, it has seen rapid growth over the past decade to accommodate over 1,300 students, marking it as one of the most successful instances of 'overseas campus establishment.' Furthermore, the fact that several other foreign universities have followed in the footsteps of SUNY Korea indicates that South Korea has become a host to a comparatively large number of overseas university campuses over the past 17 years since the Foreign Educational Institutions Act was enacted in 2005.
In this age where 'remote' and 'virtual' have become the 'new normal,' discussion is not just limited to the 'offline' mode of university systems and curriculums setting up physical campuses abroad. It can be difficult to draw direct comparisons with the United States, which boasts roughly ten times the number of universities as South Korea and has a dominant international influence in the realm of higher education. However, the reality is inescapable that domestic universities have not fully leveraged their leadership potential in 'international higher education trade' in comparison to their western counterparts, irrespective of their online or offline operations. In essence, the trade balance in the higher education industry is persistently in deficit.
Recently, the narrative around the 'crisis of universities' has converged on the buzzword 'decreasing school-age population,' a problem which is inevitable but somewhat piecemeal. Over the past two decades, domestic universities have endeavored to build core competencies centered on internationalization, but the external perception of the university's essential purpose, the values it aims to uphold, and its societal role doesn't seem to have markedly improved, despite the internal challenges and conflicts. South Korea's higher education system and content must extend their influence overseas and bolster Korea's international standing in a manner that secures a global competitive edge. Alongside this, it is crucial to cultivate 'export competitiveness' that we can confidently showcase anywhere in the world and to stimulate authentic innovation in the university society by allowing it to freely evolve within the country's 'regulatory sandbox.'
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This content is a translation of an article originally composed in Korean language, which was published in April 2022 on the University News Network, a premier media outlet in South Korea dedicated to higher education. For the original article, please visit https://news.unn.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=525957.
As from my experience in Uzbekistan with Korean universities one of the reasons to hesitate to go abroad may be a fear of reputation damage and protectionism. But since the population has been declining and universities are merging and closing, there is no other way. Do smth cross boarder or die.
ReplyDeleteI think we should write an article together about the case of Korean education abroad, after our PhD commitments, if noone does until that time ))
That will be fantastic. I want to add two more reason 'no experience/expert' and 'short of resources'. I might be a result of a long-lasting tuition freeze and financial challenges it caused. Thanks for the suggestion!
ReplyDeleteYes you are right
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ReplyDelete"Preparing for study abroad can be overwhelming, but your article breaks it down perfectly. I especially appreciated the tips on networking with other students. Thanks for the encouragement!"
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