KS's Global Insights into Higher Education

XX University Awards for OO Years Straight! Winner of XX Government Grant: OO Million! As you read this article, are you someone closely involved in higher education – perhaps a provider of university services? If so, you might be stirred by the headlines above. Since the late 1990s, a myriad of financial support programs for universities, with the Brain Korea Initiative at the forefront, have expanded significantly, transforming the way universities market themselves. These programs have become invaluable resources and tools for institutions to showcase their excellence both domestically and internationally. However, how students and parents – the consumers of higher education – perceive these promotional efforts is another matter altogether. Are these marketing slogans truly achieving their intended objectives? The steady increase in the college-age population and the soaring university enrollment rates in South Korea, predominantly driven by private institutions, fueled the quantita...