InterviewSeoul National University rethinks higher education, emphasizing globalization

Seoul National University President Ryu Hong-lim speaks during an interview at the university’s main building in Gwanak District, Seoul, Aug. 11. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

While many Korean universities prioritize boosting global competitiveness by recruiting international students, Seoul National University stresses that globalization should be regarded not as a project or goal, but as the very foundation of higher education.

"Universities must confront a fundamental question — what is their role in the 21st century, beyond the pursuit of global competitiveness?" Seoul National University President Ryu Hong-lim said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.

Ryu outlined his vision of the university as a hub for global cooperation, a platform where institutions work together to tackle shared challenges.

"Globalization is not an add-on initiative. It must serve as the foundation for everything we do," he emphasized.

He noted that universities have always been part of a broader intellectual community that transcends borders.

"Our responsibility is to nurture responsible global citizens capable of addressing the world’s toughest challenges," he said.

Ryu also stressed that Seoul National University itself must undergo structural reforms, aligning with global standards across education, research and social contribution.

The 13th Asian Universities Forum takes place at IPB University in Bogor, Indonesia, Aug. 20, 2024. Courtesy of Seoul National University

As part of its broader international vision, Seoul National University has already taken the lead in forging networks across Asia. In 2011, the university spearheaded the launch of the Asian Universities Forum (AUF), which now brings together 25 universities from 15 countries across the region. Through this platform, the university seeks not only to expand its leadership role but also to enhance the educational and research capacity of institutions in lower- and middle-income nations.

The university has also made global engagement a cornerstone of student development. Each year, more than 120 Seoul National University students participate in global social contribution activities, undertaking community projects in six countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The program has a dual purpose — supporting local communities abroad while at the same time fostering a strong sense of global citizenship among participating students.

"These programs are about more than outreach. They strengthen our students’ awareness as global citizens while allowing us to contribute directly to educational and social development overseas," Ryu said.

Officials from Carnegie Mellon University and Seoul National University pose after the opening ceremony of the SNU-CMU Human-Centered AI Research Center at Seoul National University's campus. Courtesy of Seoul National University

Despite the university’s ambitions, Ryu expressed concern that higher education continues to receive limited attention in Korea’s policy agenda.

Currently, it accounts for less than 20 percent of the nation’s total education budget — a level he argues is far too low to sustain quality teaching and research. Although the government is weighing reforms to the education tax law, Ryu stressed that adequate funding is absolutely vital for the future of universities.

"Funding universities should not be seen as charity, it should be considered as an investment," he said. "Unless we start treating it that way, higher education will remain trapped in a vicious cycle of underfunding and underperformance."

He added that financial support is not only critical for education but also for strengthening international joint research projects across disciplines. While the government is pursuing such initiatives, Seoul National University aims to position itself as a central hub, connecting global partners and driving innovation.

Regional universities in Korea are pushing forward with "glocalization" projects — initiatives that combine a focus on local development with global standards and networks — but many still lack clear pathways to expand onto the international stage.

"Our goal is for Seoul National University to serve as a hub, building consortia with regional universities so that they too can move onto the global stage," Ryu said.

An aerial view of Seoul National University campus / Courtesy of Seoul National University

Investment shortfalls challenge higher education

Ryu stressed that advancing international collaboration in research is just as critical as strengthening education. Partnerships with top universities abroad, he said, can pave the way for long-term joint projects.

"When world-class scholars are affiliated with multiple institutions, opportunities for collaboration expand significantly," he said. "We see education and research as inseparable, and our global strategy must prioritize partnerships with leading institutions in advanced countries."

To advance that effort, the university is promoting sustained research collaboration through its international research platform, allowing top university research centers to create joint institutes with institutions abroad.

Most recently, the university launched the SNU-MIT Seed Fund initiative in the second half of this year to strengthen joint projects with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The program provides research funding to faculty from both universities to develop early-stage collaborations, laying the groundwork for a sustainable ecosystem of research partnerships and student exchanges between the two institutions.

A decade ago, the university launched an ambitious program to bring Nobel laureates and other distinguished scholars to campus for yearlong teaching appointments. The initiative ran for five years before being discontinued, largely because the university struggled to provide the conditions needed to retain such high-profile academics.

Reflecting on that experience, Ryu acknowledged that the greater challenge lies in the powerful pull of overseas institutions, as Korean students and faculty continue to leave for opportunities abroad. Even Seoul National University, long regarded as the country’s premier university, is not immune to the problem of brain drain.

"The weakest parts of our system are salary and funding," Ryu said.

Although the university is shifting toward performance-based pay, many foreign faculty members remain tied to a seniority-based system. Without larger research budgets and more competitive compensation, he warned, it will be difficult to bring top scholars to Korea — and keep them here.

For Ryu, the foundation of a truly global university begins with students. He stressed that excellence is not only about admitting top applicants but about investing in undergraduates so they can grow into world-class talent.

Unlike universities in the U.S. or China, which pour significant resources into undergraduate education and create a pipeline into graduate study, Korea’s system suffers from limited research and development support.

Ryu argued that Korea must fundamentally rethink the role of its universities, which are still too often viewed simply as schools.

"Universities are not just educational institutions," he said. "They are engines of national progress and must play a central role in solving global challenges."

Graphic by Cho Sang-won