Foreign Professors Take 3.7% of Total
The ratio of foreign instructors at local universities hovers below 4 percent of the total, despite rising demand for internationalized education programs.
According to Rep. Lee Seong-kweun of the opposition Grand National Party Sunday, as of 2006, a total of 2,078 full-time foreign lecturers and professors belonged to 172 universities across the country, accounting for only 3.7 percent of 55,343 college instructors including full-time lecturers, associate and assistant professors.
Among 23 national universities, only eight schools hired 22 foreign professors in 2006, accounting for 0.17 percent of their 13,214 professors
Seoul National University employed the largest number of foreign professors at eight, followed by Kyungpook National University and Pukyong National University with four professors each.
The ratio of private universities was a little bit higher than that of public schools.
A total of 1,976 foreign professors worked at 149 private universities, accounting for 5 percent of 39,406 professors.
Hongik University had the largest number of foreign professors with 131, followed by Hankuk University of Foreign Studies with 86, Hanyang University with 75 and Kyung Hee University with 62.