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A Brief History of IBC Endeavors in South Korea: Drawing Lessons from the Past

On March 19, 2012, Dr. Nancy Zimpher, a high-profile figure from the State University of New York and the Chancellor of the largest public higher education system in the United States, stood side by side with Mr. Young Gil Song, then Mayor of Incheon Metropolitan City Government. Mr. Song later rose to become the leader of the ruling party and a five-term lawmaker, amassing significant political power. They celebrated the inauguration of the first U.S. campus in South Korea, formally approved by the Ministry of Education. Dr. Zimpher proudly announced the establishment of SUNY's 65th campus, "SUNY Korea," in East Asia – in addition to the 64 campuses in New York State. Initially, this campus offered only a few graduate programs from Stony Brook University.


Dr. Myung Oh, a proud alumnus of Stony Brook University, played a pivotal role in bringing his Ph.D. alma mater to the Incheon Free Economic Zone. Having led several government organizations, he became Deputy Prime Minister in the early 2000s, steering the national science and technology development plan. Another crucial figure, Dr. Heeyoun Song, an esteemed economist and Syracuse University graduate, later assumed the role of the inaugural chief executive of the Songdo Global Campus (subsequently renamed Incheon Global Campus) Foundation. Dr. Song often reminisced about his journeys to Anglophone countries to recruit top-tier international universities, emphasizing his relentless determination.


His team's benchmarking travels began with a visit to Temple University Japan to learn about the survival strategies of U.S. branch campuses. The roster of universities they approached for negotiations includes, but isn’t limited to, institutions such as University of Southern California, University of Delaware, University of Florida, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, University of Vanderbilt, University of Wisconsin, University of Michigan, Ohio State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Toronto, to name a few. After exhaustive efforts, South Korea now hosts four U.S. and one Belgian institution, all experiencing a modest growth in enrollment while exerting persistent efforts to generate greater social and academic impact in the region.


The Incheon Free Economic Zone, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (later renamed the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy), and local governments collaborated, pouring significant funds into the Incheon project. The total public aid for the establishment of the Incheon Global Campus, envisioned as the epicenter of international education in South Korea, amounts to an estimated 500 billion KRW (approximately 400 million USD). This figure solely represents infrastructure costs, considering the massive land reclamation project that transformed the sea into the Incheon Free Economic Zone. Additionally, the participating foreign universities received public funding categorized as 'start-up funds,' 'initial operation costs,' and 'annual subsidies'.


These visionary individuals imagined a South Korea that would be a global epicenter for international education. The initial blueprint for the Incheon Global Campus was ambitious, aiming to house ten international branches and educate 10,000 students by 2015. 


Regrettably, this plan faltered. Concurrently, regional governments in South Korea sought to attract foreign university campuses to stimulate their economies, echoing efforts made by many Japanese Prefectures in the 1980s. Several agreements with institutions from countries like the Netherlands, Germany, and the UK fell through. In 2020, an attempt to introduce an Italian Music School to a medium-sized city in the interior of the country proved unsuccessful, resulting in a loss of approximately 450,000 USD that had been awarded as a start-up fund for the enterprise.


The birth of the Incheon Global Campus was marked by ambition and innovation. However, differences between Western and South Korean educational models may have led to unexpected challenges. While some global institutions acknowledged the potential benefits of establishing a presence in South Korea, others were dissuaded by financial and logistical hurdles. This initiative aimed not just to build satellite campuses but to cultivate an all-encompassing international academic ecosystem, seamlessly integrating with the local educational environment. To achieve this, the increasing role of the Ministry of Education merits pronounced attention.


The trajectory of the Incheon Global Campus underscores the intricacies of merging varied educational systems. While some ventures may not have achieved their intended outcomes, others stand as beacons of success, showcasing the convergence of global educational goals with strategic insight. As stakeholders contemplate the future direction of the IGC, reflecting on past experiences is crucial. The focus should not solely be on numbers but on enriching the quality of education and creating wholesome international academic experiences. 


With the evolving global higher education landscape, the Incheon Global Campus is on the cusp of carving its distinct legacy. Pivotal questions remain: Why is the IGC crucial to South Korea's academic future? Does South Korean society still need foreign campuses on its soil? How can international branch campuses in South Korea justify their relevance and legitimacy in a rapidly changing world?


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* Disclaimer

This is a content submitted to Dr. Cheryl Yu's blog 'Higher Education Connected' upon her request in August 2023. Please find the published article at https://www.china-connected.com/post/a-brief-history-of-ibc-endeavors-in-south-korea-drawing-lessons-from-the-past.

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