Korean universities can make their mark on the world stage
Jang-Moo Lee tells Martin Ince that his country is depending for its future prosperity on the human resources produced by the higher
education system. As President of Seoul National University, he is addressing the global problem of the most talented students being
lured away from science and engineering.
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| Jang-Moo Lee, President of Seoul National University |
Let’s think first about the Korean education system as a whole. Are Korean
universities producing the right people for the next phase of the country’s
development?
In my view, too many Korean universities aspire to become researchorientated
institutions. And their curricula are too identical. I believe that
to produce global leaders who can contribute to the nation and to the
international community, we should establish a system of higher learning
that reflects external changes and provides us with insights into the future.
This means that each university must endeavour to secure areas in which
it can excel.
Does Korea have a large enough higher education system for the needs of
a growing high-technology nation?
The fact that 84% of high school graduates advance to college means that
university education is almost universal and vibrant in Korea. Specifically,
substantial weight is accorded to engineering in Korean college education.
The development of Korean industry has depended on the competent
engineers that Korean colleges have produced.
Yet it is also true that highly talented Korean students are being lured away
from the natural sciences and engineering. To cope with this challenge, the
efforts of universities alone will not be sufficient. Heightened awareness
and support at the national and social levels will also be needed.
The fear that too few students are studying science and engineering
is expressed all over the developed world. It is a major social issue. Our
approach begins by institutionalising a system that encourages young
students who are highly talented in science to continue to pursue these
academic interests as they move on from secondary to higher education.
We must also make sure that graduates with BS degrees get good jobs
and that there are employment incentives to create a workforce which is
qualified in science and engineering. Co-operative measures by government,
industry and academe to heighten social awareness of the importance
of engineering, and its relevance to a sound economy, are vital. All three
parties must work closely to achieve balance in the supply of and demand
for scientists and engineers.
We must also enhance convergent and interdisciplinary studies. The
significance of thinking across frameworks - involving science and
engineering in the arts and humanities and vice versa - is beyond words. It
is vital to let students know that the demand for science and engineering
goes beyond their own boundaries, and that their career opportunities
are far greater than they realise. This is why SNU has recently established
the Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, and the
Advanced Institute for Convergence Technology.
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| The vibrant campus life of Seoul National University is also reflected in the international profiles of
its students. (Photo credit: Seoul National University) |
How confident are you that the government will protect Korean universities
from the current world economic downturn?
It is the duty and responsibility of the government to extend its support to
the higher education system. SNU and its fellow universities in Korea expect
consistent support from the government. In 2009, the government launched
the World Class University (WCU) program with a budget of approximately
US$120 million per year. The aim is to invite world-renowned scholars to
pursue their research and teaching in Korea. SNU has been allocated more
projects within this program than any other institution.
The Korean economy has shown relatively strong figures during the current
world economic downturn, and the government acknowledges that our
future depends on the quality of the human resources produced by the
higher education system.
How can Korean universities be more attractive to international students?
Many foreign students find Korea attractive and are willing to pursue their
degrees in Korean universities. But to meet this demand, Korean universities
should take further steps to globalize themselves. The number of classes
given in foreign languages, and the number of foreign faculty and staff,
must be multiplied, and more measures should be taken to improve both
on- and off-campus living for foreign students.
How many world-ranked universities will Korea be able to have?
There are a number of outstanding universities in Korea, such as Yonsei
University and Korea University, to name just a couple besides SNU.
Considering the amount of energy Korean institutions are putting into
promoting their names in the global arena, the prospect that Korean
universities will hold top ranks in the near future seems promising.
Does Korean higher education have unique problems, or are they shared
with Japan, Taiwan and other East Asian nations?
Korean families spend a huge amount of their household income in the
private education market, because parents feel that public education may
not be sufficient for their children to compete in our highly competitive
college admission system. This reality has imposed a unique obligation
upon Korean universities, particularly SNU, whose students are from
the most selective pool, to pursue excellence on the one hand and the
principles of equity and diversity on the other. It is the latter that makes
Korean universities unique in comparison to those of other Asian countries.
Another distinguishing feature is Korean students’ frequent desire to go
abroad and to pursue their studies in other world-renowned institutions.
Turning now to other Asian universities, do you think that China will turn
from a source of international students into a country that attracts them,
from elsewhere in Asia and from around the world?
Having been at the centre of Asia for many centuries, China is known for its
rich cultural heritage. And now, China also boasts rapid economic growth.
So I expect the number of international students willing to study in China
to increase gradually.
More generally, what does the rise of China mean for Korea’s position in the
world of science, technology and culture?
As the Chinese economy booms, SNU acknowledges that there will be a
need to foster more exchange programs with Chinese universities. I believe
other Korean universities will take measures to pursue strategic ties with
their Chinese counterparts as well.
What do you think of the potential emergence of new and well-funded
universities in the Middle East?
The fact that oil-producing countries in the Middle East are focusing
resource on college education testifies that the global community is taking
a step toward a knowledge-based society. With generous support from
their governments, the prospects for universities in the Middle East are
promising, and their growth potential seems to be without boundaries. This
growth can be achieved on a firm foundation of national enthusiasm for
higher education.
SNU has already initiated relations with King Abdullah University of Science
and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia and is looking forward to extending
its ties with other Middle East universities.
Yonsei University is another outstanding Korean university. It celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. (Photo credit: Yonsei University) |
Are Asian nations represented adequately in existing ranking systems? Will
there be more of them there in five years’ time?
Universities in Asia, including the universities of Korea, are showing great
progress thanks to state support and their people’s enthusiasm for education.
In the coming years, we will see many Asian universities achieving worldclass
standards.
Lastly, some questions about SNU itself. How do you see SNU’s position in
Korean higher education?
We are the first national institution of higher education, and Korea’s flagship
university. SNU has played the leading role in Korean higher education
overall and in the development of Korean society, in particular by providing
excellent human resources to various sectors of the Korean economy and
Korean national life. In the business sector, 26% of the ten leading companies’
CEOs are SNU alumni. In the political sector, 157 of 299 members of the
National Assembly are SNU graduates. In the academic sphere, SNU has
produced 56% of the members of the National Academy of Science.
According to the International Professional Ranking of Higher Education
Institutions produced in 2009 by the Ecole des Mines in Paris, SNU ranks
fifth in the world for the number of its graduates working as CEOs of the top
500 global companies. Some of our celebrated alumni include Secretary-
General Ban Ki-Moon of the United Nations and Judge Song Sang-Hyun,
President of the International Criminal Court.
What are the big challenges that you face every day?
The most crucial task is to secure outstanding faculty and to enhance
interdisciplinary communication and co-operation by lowering barriers
between disciplines. More particularly, the task I face at the present moment
is to further promote globalisation that can serve as a foundation for our
leap towards becoming a world-class university. For that purpose, securing the autonomy and flexibility of the institution is an absolute priority. For
this reason, we are in the process of transforming our legal and institutional
status into a corporation, which will make us administratively independent
from the government. Under the current law, SNU needs the Ministry of
Education’s approval for every administrative action, including hiring a
member of faculty or even a staff member. This means that we are subject
to too many restraints.
However, this does not mean that SNU will give up its position as a national
university, or the social responsibilities which its status entails. Instead, our
intention is to transform our legal and organisational status to help us
enhance our global competitiveness. The recent change in status of the
National University of Singapore is a good precedent.
Professor Jang-Moo Lee, a mechanical engineer by background, has
been president of Seoul National University (SNU) since 2006. A frequent
spokesman for Korean universities, Professor Lee was chairman of the
Korean Council for University Education in 2007/2008. He has been
responsible for a significant internationalisation of SNU’s faculty,
programs and student body. SNU is Korea’s best-regarded university
on the world stage, and was 47th in the 2009 THE-QS World University
Rankings. |
