InterviewChungbuk Nat'l Univ. aims for global reach via English-taught programs, industry-tied research

Chungbuk National University President Koh Chang-seop speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the university's main building in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, Sept. 8. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Chungbuk National University emphasized that Korean universities need to reconsider how they prepare students for a rapidly evolving global job market, beginning with stronger research-lab ecosystems that connect directly to employment opportunities and a more English-friendly academic environment to attract and retain top international students.

In an interview with The Korea Times, Chungbuk National University President Koh Chang-seop warned that Korea’s rapidly shrinking population is reshaping the global talent race — and that universities must adapt or be left behind.

“We are reaching a point where it will be impossible to survive without foreign brainpower, and that means creating an academic culture that truly supports international students, not just welcoming them in name only,” he said.

Koh said the university is accelerating its own transformation by strengthening graduate-level recruitment, expanding lab-based research training and pushing for wider use of English in the classroom. These steps, he argued, are essential for building an environment where academic work naturally links to professional opportunities.

He stressed that the university’s strength lies in its research ecosystem, which naturally connects students to jobs in their industry. While he cautioned against promising guaranteed employment, he noted that meaningful career pathways emerge when graduate students engage in long-term, hands-on projects with companies in the region.

Chungbuk National University President Koh Chang-seop, right, poses with Duy Tan University Chairman and founder Le Cong Co after signing an agreement in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province to jointly train specialists in artificial intelligence and semiconductors at Chungbuk University, July 10, 2024. Courtesy of Chungbuk National University

North Chungcheong Province is home to several of Korea’s key strategic sectors — bio, batteries, semiconductors and mobility — enabling the university labs to collaborate closely with firms such as LG Chem, LS Electric and companies within the Osong and Ochang industrial clusters. Through joint research, regular lab meetings and collaborative problem-solving, students steadily build relationships that often translate into career opportunities.

“The possibility of being hired rises significantly when students and companies work together that closely,” Koh said. “It’s like a relationship — not every couple gets married, but the more time you spend together, the higher the chances become.”

Koh noted that employment outcomes for graduate students differ fundamentally from undergraduate job-placement programs, making a standardized pipeline unrealistic in highly specialized fields. Instead, he said the university’s research labs function as industry-connected hubs, where collaboration itself becomes the bridge to employment. Graduate researchers often move back and forth between campus and industrial sites to exchange data, troubleshoot experiments and refine joint projects.

“This is what makes the difference,” he said. “These research encounters naturally evolve into employment pathways.”

To attract more top-tier international researchers into this ecosystem, the university has expanded its support programs, including its G-Cruit matching platform, which pairs students with professors based on research interests and lab needs. The platform provides foreign students with tuition support, living stipends and dormitory access, allowing them to focus fully on research and building stronger connections with regional industries.

Chungbuk National University now aims to recruit 3,000 international students by 2027, with graduate-level researchers positioned as a central part of the region’s future talent base.

International exchange students enjoy a fall picnic on campus, Oct. 2. Courtesy of Chungbuk National University

Koh was blunt about what he considers the biggest barrier to Korea’s internationalization — not English proficiency, but the absence of an English-based academic culture.

“Our university professors are fully capable of teaching in English. The issue is cultural,” he said. “Faculty feel awkward speaking English in front of Korean students, and students worry they won’t understand everything — but no one understands perfectly from the beginning.”

He noted that even Korean scholars who trained overseas often internalize a norm of avoiding English in academic settings, a habit that runs counter to global standards. He recalled doctoral students from countries such as Iran and the Netherlands were instructed by advisers never to revert to their mother tongue so they could better maintain academic English.

“That’s the expectation in international research environments,” he said.

To shift campus norms, Chungbuk National University now requires all newly hired professors to teach at least one course in English, whether at the undergraduate or graduate level. Koh expects that as international enrollment rises, technical courses will increasingly be in English by necessity.

Koh underscored the urgency, noting that foreign graduate students often have stronger skills than domestic students. Without enough courses taught in English, he said, Korea risks disadvantaging the very talent it is trying to attract.

Students attend the 2024 North Chungcheong Province job fair for international students, Nov. 4, 2024. Courtesy of Chungbuk National University

Koh also acknowledged that international students still face major hurdles in Korea’s job market, where companies tend to prioritize Korean-language proficiency. To address this, he outlined a two-track strategy: strengthen English as the primary academic language to draw top global talent, while simultaneously expanding Korean-language education to help international students integrate after arrival.

The university offers free Korean classes through its International Affairs Division, scheduling sessions around students’ coursework and dormitory life to make participation easier.

The university has also extended its language preparation beyond campus. Its new CBNU Global Center in Da Nang, Vietnam, housed at Duy Tan University, offers Korean-language instruction to students before they even arrive in Korea.

Koh describes the center as a base camp, giving students an early foundation in the Korean language and culture so they can adapt more quickly once they arrive.

“This kind of preparation allows students to settle in faster, perform better in their studies and ultimately compete more effectively in Korea’s industry ecosystem,” he said.

Koh mentioned that the university’s role as a national flagship university is clear. It must develop globally competitive talent for Korea’s core industries while building a campus where international students can study, settle and succeed.

“Quality control is everything,” he emphasized, adding that the university will not expand its international enrollment at the expense of academic rigor.

He envisions the university’s future in a model that tightly links research-driven education, industry collaboration and a more English-friendly campus environment — a combination he believes is essential for long-term competitiveness.

“As the world changes, universities must change faster,” Koh said. “At our university, we want students to feel that choosing this university opens doors — not only in Korea, but anywhere in the world.”

Graphic by Bae So-young