University presidents call for change

Korea University President Yeom Jae-ho, second from left, speaks during an inaugural forum of the presidents of 10 Seoul-based private universities at Yonsei University’s Seoul campus, June 13. Sitting with Yeom are, from left, Ewha Womans University President Choi Kyung-hee, Yonsei University President Kim Yong-hak and Hanyang University President Lee Young-moo. / Yonhap

By Chung Hyun-chae

Presidents of the top 10 private universities in Seoul have stressed that local universities should seek changes and present a new vision to embrace challenges arising from the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“In an era when artificial intelligence becomes smarter than humans in many significant aspects, universities should change how they cultivate future leaders and conduct research. Otherwise they will face insurmountable challenges,” Yonsei University President Kim Yong-hak said. “Institutes of higher education stand at a crossroads now.”

He made the remarks in his presentation to the inaugural forum of the presidents of the 10 universities on the Yonsei campus in Seoul on June 13. The participating universities include Korea, Hanyang, Sogang and Chung-Ang universities.

The forum, which is the first of its kind, came amid a growing sense of crisis facing local universities amid the deceasing number of students due to the low birthrate and the advent of the information era.

Kim cited a financial and identity crisis as just two of the major challenges local universities have to overcome, calling for educational reform.

Promoting active learning

“We should discuss what and how universities should teach our students as well as how we should go about recruiting students,” Korea University President Yeom Jae-ho said.

Describing students of the 10 universities as great talents, Yeom pointed out that for most of their lives they have been educated in a passive way.

“Higher education should be conducted in ways that can help students realize their potential instead of just bestowing knowledge upon them,” Yeom said.

This year, Korea University abolished merit-based scholarships that are available in accordance with one’s scholastic achievements.

“We have also phased out the relative grading system and let students take tests without supervisors,” Yeom said. “These are some of our efforts to change teaching and learning methods.”

He stressed that universities should make all-out efforts to help students become active learners.

“I think universities should promote experience-based learning through which students are able to gain practical knowledge from their own experience,” Kim said.

Given that all Yonsei University freshmen are required to live in a dormitory on the university’s Songdo campus in Incheon starting from 2014, he said that Yonsei can initiate such educational reforms.

“For example, a professor can assign students to find ways to plant more trees around Songdo, a new city built on reclaimed land along Incheon’s waterfront,” Kim said.

He stressed the importance of developing problem-solving skills. “If needed, the university is willing to provide financial support for undergraduates to conduct projects.”

Student-centered education

Ewha Womans University President Choi Kyung-hee noted that universities should offer custom-tailored education.

She introduced Ewha’s new programs in which students can select their courses and spend one semester engaged in activities such as internships while taking courses online.

Hanyang University President Lee Young-moo said the university is focusing on startup education to help students more effectively deal with the challenges of the future.

Hanyang started a 16-week non-degree startup course in 2012 in which anyone can participate.

Lee noted that 223 new startups were established through the course and they generated more than 80 billion won in sales in 2015.

Cooperation among universities

Lee also called for collaboration in startup education among local universities, citing the cases of Ivy League colleges in the United States.

“I suggest that the 10 private universities jointly establish a dormitory abroad to help our students start their own business in other countries,” Lee said.

Choi also said that cooperation among the universities can generate significant synergy for globalization.

“I hope local universities of similar founding philosophies and visions will stop competing with each other and join hands to raise global competitiveness,” Choi said.

Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) President Kim In-chul said that his university welcomes collaboration with other universities and is willing to provide its resources.

He said HUFS, which specializes in foreign languages and regional studies, is offering language courses for students of the Korea National University of Arts.

“It’s time for local universities to work together to compete with the world’s top universities,” Kim said.