Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
Universities urged to rethink internationalization strategies, forge purposeful partnerships for Gen Z
Christopher Cripps, vice president of Europe and International Affairs at Institut Polytechnique de Paris, speaks during a session at the QS Higher Ed Summit: Asia Pacific 2025, which commenced at Korea University in Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
By Lee Hae-rin
Universities should overhaul their internationalization strategies to address the demands of a world rapidly changing due to political, social and technological shifts, Christopher Cripps, vice president of Europe and international affairs at Institut Polytechnique de Paris, said during a masterclass at the QS World University Rankings: Asia event at Korea University in Seoul, Tuesday.
Cripps told academic leaders that higher education institutions must look beyond traditional, market-driven models and instead adopt focused, long-term partnerships built around shared values and mutual benefits.
"The world is a messy place and will continue to be complex for the next several years," he said, emphasizing the need for strategies that directly address major global issues and anticipate future changes.
He highlighted how the expectations of students and researchers are evolving, noting Gen Z’s growing demand for educational experiences with purpose and grounded in global citizenship.
"Gen Z cares deeply about socially engaged and climate-aware mobility, and our strategies must align with these expectations," he said.
The masterclass underscored that new models of mobility such as hybrid and reciprocal exchanges, short-term researcher placements, and collaborative online international learning are reshaping international education.
Cripps credited the rise of transnational education in Asia as a promising development, urging institutions to embrace geographic diversity in their partnerships. He presented the Institut Polytechnique de Paris’ approach of prioritizing a select group of “privileged partners” for deep, emblematic collaborations, rather than maintaining a broad network of transactional relationships.
Wrapping up, Cripps urged universities to anticipate change instead of reflecting past models, and to continually reexamine their international strategies as the world evolves.
"There’s no better time to partner than now," he concluded, advocating for meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships that will stand the test of global uncertainty.