What’s Beyond 50-Year Diplomatic Tie? South Korea – India Collaboration in Higher Education
The Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, Mr Jin Park, participated in a varied diplomatic visit to India in April 2023, marking the 50th anniversary of the commencement of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Reports suggest that the South Korean delegation were warmly received and took part in productive dialogues with their Indian counterpart, Mr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the Minister for External Affairs of India. Consensus was reached on numerous crucial topics, inclusive of intensifying collaboration across supply chains, economic systems, scientific sectors, and technological industries.
The bilateral connection between these two nations warrants amplified attention due to its remarkable evolution subsequent to the State Visit to India in 2014 by the former President Park Geun-hye and the subsequent State Visit to South Korea in 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon Park's invitation. These strategic exchanges peaked with an agreement to upgrade the bilateral connection to a "Special Strategic Partnership", thereby fortifying the basis of the Republic of Korea-India tie across myriad sectors, inclusive but not limited to foreign affairs, defence, trade and investment, science and technology, culture, and exchange of individuals.
Observing this alliance through the lens of higher education, the potential for formulating new initiatives on a national level began to emerge nine years ago. These initiatives aim to facilitate enhanced understanding and interaction between the youth delegations of the two nations and the future leaders they represent. This is primarily achieved through the expansion of collaboration between higher education institutions on both sides, potentially leading to an increase in student and faculty mobility across the nations in the long term.
As per the data distributed by South Korea's Ministry for Education in December 2022, there were 1,328 Indian students studying at higher education institutions within South Korea. It should be noted that this figure only represents 0.83% of the total international student population (166,892) in the country. India is notably lower on the list, with the predominant contributors to the international student body in South Korean higher education being China with 66,012 students (39.6%) and Vietnam with 37,921 students (22.7%).
Given India's significance as one of the largest source countries of international student mobility worldwide — having sent 750,000 students abroad in 2021 with projections of roughly 1.8 million in the forthcoming years — South Korea's share is markedly small (less than 0.1%). However, it is clear that South Korea has successfully been able to attract an increasing number of Indian students in recent years.
The majority of Indian students enrolled in South Korean universities are engaged in doctoral programmes (665, 50%), with fewer students engaged in masters (283, 21.3%) and undergraduate programmes (163, 12.3%), and the fewest (121, 9.1%) in non-degree/language programmes. This distribution of students underscores the primary interest of Indian students in South Korean higher education: graduate-level studies and research.
In contrast, the inverse flow of student mobility, from South Korea to India, exhibits a different trend. Approximately 15 years ago, India hosted over 1,000 South Korean students. However, recent data from the Ministry for Education in 2022 indicates a steep decline in this figure, with only 29 students reportedly enrolled at Indian higher education institutions. Unless this is official data presented by the Government Authority, it could be viewed with scepticism.
South Korea, home to globally recognised brands such as Samsung, LG, Hyundai, and POSCO, renowned for their technological innovation and broad-reaching impact, has long enjoyed a strong relationship with India. This relationship was reinforced in 2009 following the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the respective heads of India and South Korea, facilitating strategic partnerships across numerous domains, including science and technology. It represented the first free trade agreement with one of the emerging economic powerhouses known as the BRICs, having a significant effect on the bilateral relationships.
With India's rise as a global power boasting substantial manpower and economic potential and South Korea's robust and intelligent high-tech industry, there exists significant potential for symbiotic relationships. Despite these bilateral initiatives, the student exchange rate between the two countries, which is believed to be an indicator of dynamics in future generations, falls short of initial expectations. However, South Korea could be better positioned to create more learning and employment opportunities in industry and academia for Indians.
As an example, Indian engineers are a familiar presence at the Samsung Industrial Complex in Suwon, one of the large satellite cities of Seoul. The webpage of the Embassy of India in South Korea lists over 15 Indian professors as points of contact for Indian students seeking to connect directly with scholars at South Korean universities from their home country. The Indo-Korea Science and Technology Centre, under the umbrella of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, is a high-profile employer of Indian researchers.
As the student mobility between South Korea and China has begun to stagnate and India continues to emerge as the country with the largest population of young talent, it is imperative for South Korean universities to strategically explore the Indian market. Such an endeavour aligns with the national strategy to strengthen ties between the two countries. In addition, this move is deemed critical as South Korea grapples with the world's lowest fertility rate, which poses pressing challenges to the country's economy, industry, and education. Hence, strengthening educational ties with India should be a central aspect of South Korea's long-term strategy to maintain its position as a powerhouse in East Asia.
The question then arises: what measures could both countries implement to promote higher education and research opportunities in India for South Korean students? Data suggests that South Korean students are increasingly hesitant to choose India as a study abroad destination. A special report published by the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy in 2010 posits a reason for this trend. The report suggests that South Koreans perceive India as "unsafe", "underdeveloped", and "old-fashioned". A recent documentary aired in South Korea, "Genius in India", highlights the world-class academic and research excellence of top engineering and science schools in India, such as IIT Madras. Nonetheless, it is these English-speaking elite schools that hold the most appeal for South Korean young talents.
India is often referred to as the "Nation of Mystery" in South Korea, indicating the wealth of undiscovered opportunities it offers. Sustainable international cooperation arises from profound mutual understanding, fostered by human capital. This perspective aligns with the core ethos of international higher education, which is "contributing to the prosperity of the global society through cross-border exchanges and collaboration". Therefore, the unresolved tasks ahead should not serve as a hindrance but rather as motivation to actively explore the potential for progress and advancement that both countries and their respective institutions offer for future generations.
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