Korea Times, KAFSA sign MOU to expand global reach in higher education

Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin, left, and Korean Association of Foreign Student Administrators Chair Yang Jae-wan pose after signing a memorandum of understanding at the newspaper's headquarters in Jung District, Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

The Korea Times, the nation’s oldest English-language daily, signed a memorandum of understanding, Thursday, with the Korean Association of Foreign Student Administrators (KAFSA) to help bolster the global competitiveness of Korean universities.

Under the agreement, the two organizations plan to expand collaborative programs aimed at strengthening universities’ global outreach through a range of joint initiatives while promoting mutual development.

Founded in 1999, KAFSA supports its member universities as they seek to deepen their global engagement. As of this year, the association counts about 200 universities among its members nationwide.

The association brings together leaders and staff involved in international education across Korea’s higher education institutions, facilitating information exchange and cooperation. It is now widely regarded as a key body representing Korean universities in global academic exchanges.

It also works with overseas counterparts — including NAFSA in the United States, EAIE in Europe, JAFSA in Japan and CAFSA in China — serving as Korea’s representative body in sharing updates on Korean higher education and promoting international exchanges.

“The inaugural announcement of the K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026 reflects our commitment to promoting Korean universities on the global stage and attracting a more diverse pool of international students,” Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin said.

“As international affairs offices in each university play a central role in shaping globalization strategies, we believe our partnership with KAFSA will create strong synergy and meaningful outcomes.”

The two sides will pursue opportunities to codevelop content and programs related to internationalization, and will explore potential collaboration on joint events and projects aimed at expanding global networks and supporting universities’ overseas outreach.

Pointing to the challenges facing Korean higher education and society, KAFSA Chair Yang Jae-wan stressed the growing importance of university globalization.

“With Korea’s declining population, concerns over long-term sustainability continue to surface. In this situation, globalization and the recruitment of foreign students have emerged as key strategies for navigating the crisis,” Yang said.

“Both the government and many universities recognize the need to move in this direction. Strengthening globalization will not only boost the competitiveness of Korean universities but also contribute to the broader sustainability of our society,” he added.