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Education Ministry uses Korean wave to increase foreign student enrollment
In a case of better late than never, the government has come up with plans, including Korean-wave type programs, to lure foreign students here to offset the exodus of Koreans to schools abroad and the decreasing birthrate.
With the aim of increasing the number of foreign students seven-fold to 50,000 by 2010, the Education Ministry said it will invest money to improve the education environment for people from overseas and encourage Korean diplomatic and other agencies to help out.
The ministry will set up education fairs to coincide with overseas events promoting "Hallyu," or Korean wave - the Korean pop culture boom in many Asian countries. The first education fair will be in March at a Korean movie festival in China to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Chinese film industry.
"The education fair aims at enticing foreign students by making the most use of their interests toward Korean culture," the ministry said in a news release laying out its plans.
Nho Sang-keun, foreign exchange director of Sunmoon University, said he found many Chinese college hopefuls initially intrigued by Korea thanks to the Korean wave phenomena.
"College applicants are trendy young people," Nho said. "We had consulting sessions in China, and surprisingly, when asked why they want to study in Korea, most of them answered that their interests began with the Korean (pop) boom," he added.
Sunmoon University has the fourth-largest number of foreign students despite its modest reputation.
According to the Education Ministry, Yonsei University had the most foreign students in 2004, followed by Seoul National University and Kyunghee University.
"Korea was not on the list of wanna-study countries just a few years ago. But thanks to the Korean wave, Korea has emerged as a preferred country to study in," Nho said.
International student enrollment soared three-fold from 2000 to 2004 in Korea, with Asian students representing the biggest 87 percent. According to figures from the education ministry, nearly 30 percent of 14,600 Asian students here came to learn Korean.
Many say good job opportunities and affordable tuition are also major attractions. According to a 2004 survey of 114 Chinese students who are studying at 10 local universities, 40 percent said they chose Korea so they would eventually improve their job opportunities. Twenty-five percent said they liked Korean culture and 10 percent cited cheap expenses.
Ge Yufang, 25, a Chinese commerce graduate student at Korea University, said, "The trade between China and Korea is highly developed and Korean companies like LG, Samsung, SK, Lotte, Hyundai and Kia have advanced in China.
"I majored both in Korean and Japanese in China, and after studying business here, I would like to work for one of those firms," she added.
There are approximately 9,000 Chinese students here.
Korea University president Euh Yoon-dae said, "Many top-notch Asian students, who would like to work at multinational companies, go to Ivy League schools (in the United States). But we are targeting a niche market in Asian countries where many students want to work at Samsung or LG."
Nho said Korean institutions provide quality education, especially in information technology, with affordable fees.
"Tuition prices are cheap compared to Europe, North American countries and even Japan. They are one half or one-third of the fees at Japanese universities," he said.
Japanese students made up 90 percent of the 641 international students at Sunmoon University last year. (poor poor students)
"Korean universities give courses on IT which the Japanese favor," Nho said.
An admission official at Yonsei University said, "Students who are not smart enough to go to the United States or Europe decide to come here. Korea is close and the tuition is not that much of a burden." (that'd be a good chant "we're number 3! we're number 3!")
Many say, however, that the government's bold initiatives require more money for Asian students.
Universities welcome the ministry's plans to attract students but say the priority is not temporary education fairs or advertising blitzes, but proper funding for foreign students.
The ministry said it will increase the number of invited students from 55 to 71 this year, and gradually increase the number. It is focusing on attracting Asian students by assigning many of them to the student invitation program.
However, Lee Jung-hoon, dean of international education and exchange at Yonsei University said, "The government set a goal of increasing the number to 50,000, but I wonder how it will be able to reach that with meager financial support."
Korea University's president Euh said, "The government is full of hot air, but a crucial thing (government-funded scholarships) is missing. The (low) number is evident if you look at the Japan Foundation."
Every year, the government-funded Japan Foundation invites about 50 Korean students for master's or doctor's degree courses and 30 undergraduate students for short-term language program, according to the Japanese Embassy in Seoul.
Asked what is her main concern about studying in Korea, Qiu Li Kong, a Chinese student doing her master's degree at Seoul National University, answered without hesitating, "Money."
Qiu, who majors in educational administration, said, "On top of the tuition, I have to pay living expenses. The prices are cheaper than Europe or the United States, but are still high."
Officials say certain regulations require change - for example, the number of middle and elementary school years needed to qualify for a place at a university here.
Nho said, "Do you think a student who is able to get into Oxford University can be admitted to a Korean university? The answer is no, because he could not do 12 school years in England, where there are only 11 years spent at school."
He added, "Other countries such as the Philippines and Russia have different school years as well."
One good thing about the government plans is that they strengthen screening of illegal students while simplifying the overall immigration formalities.
"We are going to introduce a school responsibility system. For universities which have a record of taking in illegal students, we will be strict. For others, we will make it easy," said ministry official Gang Yeong-sun.
Immigration officials said some local universities, including Gangwon University, were caught for taking in ineligible students to offset a low enrollment.
The Ministry of Justice said 5 percent of foreign students and about 30 percent of language learning students were in Korea illegally in 2003.
"They (unqualified students) can easily enter the nation cheaply and openly under the student status, and then they run away," Nho said.
"China has many bright students. On the other hand, there are some people who should never come to Korea. We need to screen those people. What would Chinese people think of Korea when an incapable Chinese is accepted to a Korean university?"
The top universities, mostly located in Seoul, focus on trying to send their students overseas rather than actively luring international students. Only three percent of Seoul National University's students are foreign, compared to 9 percent at Beijing University and 11 percent at Tokyo University, according to figures published in the Chosun Ilbo.
"Universities should be international. They become competitive when Korean students are mixed with foreign students on campus," said Park Sang-reol, executive director of the International Abroad Education Ad House Inc., a high profile agency which helps Korean students going abroad and foreign students coming here.
"The government is not able to get a proper mix by itself. Universities, too, must try. However, good universities in Seoul do not seem to care about attracting foreign students," he said.
In Australia, for example, universities operate a nonprofit education and professional organization called IDP, counseling students at their worldwide branches about studying in Australia.
Some Korean universities such as Sunmoon University are actively pursuing foreign students via rigorous promotion activities. The Japanese alumni of the university have presentation sessions in seven or eight areas, providing useful information to college applicants.
Korea University is also trying to entice foreign students by planning to pay three-quarters of the tuition for graduate students. Euh, its president, said that science, engineering and international study professors are in China scouting for talented students there.
"When they return to their home country, international students can be pro-Korea, not anti-Korea. Attracting students is a must for Korean universities," Nho said.
(hjjin@heraldm.com)
By Jin Hyun-joo
In a case of better late than never, the government has come up with plans, including Korean-wave type programs, to lure foreign students here to offset the exodus of Koreans to schools abroad and the decreasing birthrate.
With the aim of increasing the number of foreign students seven-fold to 50,000 by 2010, the Education Ministry said it will invest money to improve the education environment for people from overseas and encourage Korean diplomatic and other agencies to help out.
The ministry will set up education fairs to coincide with overseas events promoting "Hallyu," or Korean wave - the Korean pop culture boom in many Asian countries. The first education fair will be in March at a Korean movie festival in China to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Chinese film industry.
"The education fair aims at enticing foreign students by making the most use of their interests toward Korean culture," the ministry said in a news release laying out its plans.
Nho Sang-keun, foreign exchange director of Sunmoon University, said he found many Chinese college hopefuls initially intrigued by Korea thanks to the Korean wave phenomena.
"College applicants are trendy young people," Nho said. "We had consulting sessions in China, and surprisingly, when asked why they want to study in Korea, most of them answered that their interests began with the Korean (pop) boom," he added.
Sunmoon University has the fourth-largest number of foreign students despite its modest reputation.
According to the Education Ministry, Yonsei University had the most foreign students in 2004, followed by Seoul National University and Kyunghee University.
"Korea was not on the list of wanna-study countries just a few years ago. But thanks to the Korean wave, Korea has emerged as a preferred country to study in," Nho said.
International student enrollment soared three-fold from 2000 to 2004 in Korea, with Asian students representing the biggest 87 percent. According to figures from the education ministry, nearly 30 percent of 14,600 Asian students here came to learn Korean.
Many say good job opportunities and affordable tuition are also major attractions. According to a 2004 survey of 114 Chinese students who are studying at 10 local universities, 40 percent said they chose Korea so they would eventually improve their job opportunities. Twenty-five percent said they liked Korean culture and 10 percent cited cheap expenses.
Ge Yufang, 25, a Chinese commerce graduate student at Korea University, said, "The trade between China and Korea is highly developed and Korean companies like LG, Samsung, SK, Lotte, Hyundai and Kia have advanced in China.
"I majored both in Korean and Japanese in China, and after studying business here, I would like to work for one of those firms," she added.
There are approximately 9,000 Chinese students here.
Korea University president Euh Yoon-dae said, "Many top-notch Asian students, who would like to work at multinational companies, go to Ivy League schools (in the United States). But we are targeting a niche market in Asian countries where many students want to work at Samsung or LG."
Nho said Korean institutions provide quality education, especially in information technology, with affordable fees.
"Tuition prices are cheap compared to Europe, North American countries and even Japan. They are one half or one-third of the fees at Japanese universities," he said.
Japanese students made up 90 percent of the 641 international students at Sunmoon University last year. (poor poor students)
"Korean universities give courses on IT which the Japanese favor," Nho said.
An admission official at Yonsei University said, "Students who are not smart enough to go to the United States or Europe decide to come here. Korea is close and the tuition is not that much of a burden." (that'd be a good chant "we're number 3! we're number 3!")
Many say, however, that the government's bold initiatives require more money for Asian students.
Universities welcome the ministry's plans to attract students but say the priority is not temporary education fairs or advertising blitzes, but proper funding for foreign students.
The ministry said it will increase the number of invited students from 55 to 71 this year, and gradually increase the number. It is focusing on attracting Asian students by assigning many of them to the student invitation program.
However, Lee Jung-hoon, dean of international education and exchange at Yonsei University said, "The government set a goal of increasing the number to 50,000, but I wonder how it will be able to reach that with meager financial support."
Korea University's president Euh said, "The government is full of hot air, but a crucial thing (government-funded scholarships) is missing. The (low) number is evident if you look at the Japan Foundation."
Every year, the government-funded Japan Foundation invites about 50 Korean students for master's or doctor's degree courses and 30 undergraduate students for short-term language program, according to the Japanese Embassy in Seoul.
Asked what is her main concern about studying in Korea, Qiu Li Kong, a Chinese student doing her master's degree at Seoul National University, answered without hesitating, "Money."
Qiu, who majors in educational administration, said, "On top of the tuition, I have to pay living expenses. The prices are cheaper than Europe or the United States, but are still high."
Officials say certain regulations require change - for example, the number of middle and elementary school years needed to qualify for a place at a university here.
Nho said, "Do you think a student who is able to get into Oxford University can be admitted to a Korean university? The answer is no, because he could not do 12 school years in England, where there are only 11 years spent at school."
He added, "Other countries such as the Philippines and Russia have different school years as well."
One good thing about the government plans is that they strengthen screening of illegal students while simplifying the overall immigration formalities.
"We are going to introduce a school responsibility system. For universities which have a record of taking in illegal students, we will be strict. For others, we will make it easy," said ministry official Gang Yeong-sun.
Immigration officials said some local universities, including Gangwon University, were caught for taking in ineligible students to offset a low enrollment.
The Ministry of Justice said 5 percent of foreign students and about 30 percent of language learning students were in Korea illegally in 2003.
"They (unqualified students) can easily enter the nation cheaply and openly under the student status, and then they run away," Nho said.
"China has many bright students. On the other hand, there are some people who should never come to Korea. We need to screen those people. What would Chinese people think of Korea when an incapable Chinese is accepted to a Korean university?"
The top universities, mostly located in Seoul, focus on trying to send their students overseas rather than actively luring international students. Only three percent of Seoul National University's students are foreign, compared to 9 percent at Beijing University and 11 percent at Tokyo University, according to figures published in the Chosun Ilbo.
"Universities should be international. They become competitive when Korean students are mixed with foreign students on campus," said Park Sang-reol, executive director of the International Abroad Education Ad House Inc., a high profile agency which helps Korean students going abroad and foreign students coming here.
"The government is not able to get a proper mix by itself. Universities, too, must try. However, good universities in Seoul do not seem to care about attracting foreign students," he said.
In Australia, for example, universities operate a nonprofit education and professional organization called IDP, counseling students at their worldwide branches about studying in Australia.
Some Korean universities such as Sunmoon University are actively pursuing foreign students via rigorous promotion activities. The Japanese alumni of the university have presentation sessions in seven or eight areas, providing useful information to college applicants.
Korea University is also trying to entice foreign students by planning to pay three-quarters of the tuition for graduate students. Euh, its president, said that science, engineering and international study professors are in China scouting for talented students there.
"When they return to their home country, international students can be pro-Korea, not anti-Korea. Attracting students is a must for Korean universities," Nho said.
(hjjin@heraldm.com)
By Jin Hyun-joo
Although I really fail to see the attraction of Korean pop culture or unis. Except for Korean movies (they're amazingly good) all the pop culture here is bland derivative corporate crap that I try to avoid as much as possible. And the unis are a bit of a joke here. The students don't do much of anything frosh year since all the guys have to go to the military after their frosh year. After that, they don't learn to much either due to massive class sizes (due to a massive recent increase in enrollent without a much of an increase in number of profs) and a large-scale unwillingness to fail anyone (I know one guy who teachers at a uni and he was under a lot of pressure to not fail anyone, even the people who never showed up which is what he eventually did when it looked like his job was at stake).
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