my timesThe Korea Times
South KoreaEducation

Policy & Trends

Policy & Trends

Are joint faculty appointments fostering innovation or merely boosting prestige?

LONDON — Joint appointments of internationally renowned scholars are emerging as a key strategy for Korean universities seeking greater global competitiveness. However, international university ranking organizations warn that the model risks becoming counterproductive if it prioritizes prestige over meaningful research collaboration, while also acknowledging that distinguishing genuine partnerships from nominal appointments remains a challenge. As international research networks become increasingly central to higher education, universities around the world are turning to joint appointments, which refer to a faculty member has a secondary appointment in one or more institutions besides his or her primary one. The trend is also reflected in global rankings, with QS and Times Higher Education (THE) placing growing emphasis on international research collaboration and cross-border academic engagement. QS emphasized that international collaboration lies at the heart of its philosophy, arguing that universities can achieve greater global impact by bringing together leading researchers from di

2d agoBy Jung Da-hyun
Are joint faculty appointments fostering innovation or merely boosting prestige?
Policy & Trends

Korea lags in AI workforce readiness despite quality STEM education

LONDON — Korea has high quality education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and corporate research and development capabilities, but the higher education system is less aligned with workforce needs in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) than many of its global competitors, a new index by QS showed Wednesday. The report underscored a growing mismatch between the country's educational strengths and future labor market needs. In the inaugural QS World Future Skills Index 2027, Korea recorded an overall score of 93.4, ranking sixth globally behind the U.S., Australia, the U.K., Germany and Canada. The new index evaluates how well 89 economies are positioned to develop and deploy talent in the era of AI, digital transformation and the green transition, measuring performance across four areas: skills alignment, academic readiness, future of work and economic transformation. Korea showed competitiveness in skills alignment and economic transformation, placing fifth and fourth, respectively. Speaking to The Korea Times, Matteo Quacquarelli, QS vice president for str

Jun 24, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Korea lags in AI workforce readiness despite quality STEM education
Policy & Trends

4 Korean universities break into global top 20 in THE sustainability rankings

LONDON — Four Korean universities made it to the Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026's top 20, with Hanyang University ranking sixth globally in results that underscore the rising international standing of Korean higher education. According to the rankings released Wednesday, Hanyang University was the highest-ranked Korean institution, followed by Korea University at joint 12th, Pusan National University in Busan at joint 16th and Kyungpook National University in Daegu at joint 20th. Hanyang’s rise was particularly notable, as it climbed from joint 44th last year to the global top 10. The results were announced as part of THE’s newly rebranded Sustainability Impact Ratings, formerly known as the Impact Rankings. The framework evaluates universities’ contributions to all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), assessing areas such as poverty reduction, health, education, gender equality, climate action, innovation and partnerships. Unlike traditional university rankings that focus heavily on research output, citations and instit

Jun 24, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
4 Korean universities break into global top 20 in THE sustainability rankings
Policy & Trends

InterviewHow shy Cambodian student became AI developer in Korea through GKS

Studying, finding employment and settling down in a foreign country is rarely a smooth process — even for recipients of the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS), a government-funded program that covers tuition, living costs and language training for outstanding international students. What it cannot guarantee is that they stay. Sereimony Sek, a GKS alumna who arrived from Cambodia at 17 and now works as an artificial intelligence (AI) developer at a Seoul telecommunications company, says the difference often comes down to something simpler: whether students ask for help. “I think it’s important to seek help when we need it because I’ve seen some GKS students give up their scholarships and return home for various reasons,” she told The Korea Times in a recent interview. “Because we come here through the GKS program, we already have a strong support network around us, so students shouldn’t be afraid to reach out to others or ask for help.” Sek believes that such support systems and alumni networks can play an important role in helping international students adapt to life in Korea

May 27, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
How shy Cambodian student became AI developer in Korea through GKS
Policy & Trends

STEM professors take helm of Korean universities in AI era

A growing number of professors with backgrounds in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are being appointed as university presidents, demonstrating a rapid shift in the leadership landscape that underscores a broader refocusing of institutional priorities toward research and advanced technology. As the government ramps up support for industry-academia collaboration and pushes to expand the advanced tech workforce, even universities long known for their strengths in the humanities are pivoting to expand their focus on natural sciences and engineering. Among institutions ranked in the top 30 of The Korea Times K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026, 19 institutions — a clear majority — are led by presidents with backgrounds in natural sciences or engineering. Hanyang University’s ERICA campus, ranked 19th, was excluded as it shares the same president as the main campus. To account for 30 distinct university leaders, the analysis was extended to include the 31st-ranked institution. The trend shows a sharp reversal from a decade ago. In 2016, 17 of the 30 pre

Apr 30, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
STEM professors take helm of Korean universities in AI era
Policy & Trends

6 Korean universities break into Asia top 30 in THE rankings, but int'l outlook drags

Six Korean universities placed in the top 30 of the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia Rankings 2026, buoyed by strong gains in the newly introduced industry index, but persistent weakness in international outlook left them struggling to close the gap with regional leaders from China, Singapore and Hong Kong. Seoul National University ranked 15th, the highest among Korean institutions, followed by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) at 17th, Yonsei University at 19th, Sungkyunkwan University at 20th, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) at 25th and Korea University at 26th. This year’s results reflect the impact of revised evaluation metrics. The changes follow the introduction of a new methodology first applied in the World University Rankings 2024. A notable change was the strengthened industry metric, with the addition of a patents indicator boosting universities with strong technological capabilities — particularly in Korea. Seoul National University, KAIST, Yonsei University and POSTECH each secured a perfect score of 100 in the category. H

Apr 26, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
6 Korean universities break into Asia top 30 in THE rankings, but int'l outlook drags
Policy & Trends

Korea’s higher education push stalls as foreign faculty numbers decline

Student enrollment at Korean universities is becoming more internationally diverse than ever before. Yet in contrast, the number of foreign instructors continues to decline, exposing structural limits in the country's globalization drive. Various factors, from low pay and rigid employment rules to visa constraints and housing costs, are undermining universities' efforts to attract and retain global faculty members. At the same time, universities face a delicate balancing act — easing barriers to bring in more foreign faculty while ensuring they are not hired merely to boost rankings, but can make meaningful contributions to research and teaching. Pay gap widens under tuition freeze Data from the Korean Educational Development Institute showed that the number of full-time foreign instructors surged from 1,671 in 2005 to a peak of 5,358 in 2013, before dropping below 5,000 in 2017 and declining further to 4,013 as of 2025. The trajectory tracks the budgetary strain universities began feeling after a tuition freeze. The freeze has its roots in the early 2000s, when criticism over steep tui

Apr 22, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Korea’s higher education push stalls as foreign faculty numbers decline
Policy & Trends

Semiconductor programs overtake medical schools in Korea's college admissions race

Semiconductor programs at Korean universities have overtaken medical schools in admissions competition, highlighting the rapid rise of employment-guaranteed programs as a preferred path for top-performing students. According to Jongro Academy, one of Korea’s largest college preparatory institutes, contract-based semiconductor programs affiliated with major firms such as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix posted an average competition rate of 7.16 to 1 in the 2026 regular admissions cycle. By institution, Yonsei University’s System Semiconductor Engineering program, tied to Samsung Electronics, drew 187 applicants for 32 slots, yielding a competition rate of 5.84 to 1. Sungkyunkwan University’s Semiconductor Systems Engineering Division, also partnered with Samsung Electronics, recorded 80 applicants for 15 places, or 5.33 to 1. Programs linked to SK hynix saw even stronger demand. Hanyang University’s Department of Semiconductor Engineering topped the list with a competition rate of 11.8 to 1, followed by Sogang University’s System Semiconductor Engineering program at 9 to 1 and

Apr 18, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Semiconductor programs overtake medical schools in Korea's college admissions race
Policy & Trends

InterviewFrom 4-week exchange to Hyundai Engineering: Malaysian GKS scholar's 7 years in Korea

The advice was simple: "Don't be mediocre, strive for excellence." That's the advice Tan Shin-hong received during a four-week university program in Korea and it was enough to change his plans entirely. The Malaysian engineer had arrived with a return ticket and a career in his home country in mind. Years later, he is graduate of the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) program, a master's degree holder from Jeonbuk National University and a manager in the plant design management team at Hyundai Engineering — still in Korea and planning to stay. He recalled being introduced to both Korean culture and the country’s advanced technology and research environment during a one-month program at Kyung Hee University’s campus in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. The experience sparked his interest in further studies. “While participating in the program, I became interested in learning more, which led me to pursue a master’s degree in Korea after completing my undergraduate studies,” Tan said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. His connection to Korea dates back to his sophomore year, when h

Apr 14, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
From 4-week exchange to Hyundai Engineering: Malaysian GKS scholar's 7 years in Korea
Policy & Trends

5 Korean researchers named IAEA fellows

The Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (KIRAMS) said Friday that five graduate students in its academic programs had been selected for the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme, one of the agency’s flagship initiatives to support the development of women professionals in nuclear-related fields. Four of the selected students are enrolled in the Graduate School of SeoulTech-KIRAMS Medical Sciences, a joint program run by Seoul National University of Science and Technology and KIRAMS. The fifth student is from the UST-KIRAMS campus, a graduate program in radiation medical sciences run by the University of Science and Technology. The fellowship supports women pursuing master’s degrees in nuclear science and technology, including radiation medicine. Recipients receive access to IAEA internships lasting six to 12 months, as well as international technical events and global networking opportunities. KIRAMS said the selections reflect a structured pipeline it has built in cooperation with the IAEA, SeoulTech and UST, provi

Apr 10, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
5 Korean researchers named IAEA fellows
previous page
12345
next page

Top 5 stories