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New Korean university rankings unveiled for international students

As global competition reshapes higher education, The Korea Times has announced the first-ever K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026, designed not only to assess universities’ global readiness but also to serve as a reliable reference for international students considering Korea as a study destination. Korea University ranked first in the overall standings with 144.86 points, followed by Seoul National University with 141.48 and Yonsei University with 140.33. Sungkyunkwan University, Hanyang University, Sogang University, University of Seoul, Ewha Womans University, Kyung Hee University and Dongguk University rounded out the Top 10. Although Seoul-based universities dominated the top tier, the rankings also highlighted notable performances by regional flagships and specialized institutions. Kyungpook National University, Pusan National University and Jeonbuk National University secured places within the Top 30, while Woosong University and Handong Global University were recognized for their strong globalization focus. The rankings by each category highlighted the varied streng

Sep 24, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
New Korean university rankings unveiled for international students

K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026 seen as blueprint for sustainable globalization

The K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026 are drawing praise as a timely, student-centered evaluation that emphasizes international experience and real-world outcomes, with the potential to boost Korea’s global competitiveness in higher education. Experts evaluated the framework as distinctive for combining global benchmarks with measures that reflect Korea’s education system and the needs of international students. Amid demographic decline and mounting pressures in higher education, the rankings seek to guide universities and policymakers in shaping sustainable internationalization strategies by combining global comparability with measures tailored to Korea’s realities. Seo Myeong-seok, managing director of the Korea Advancing Schools Foundation, said the four evaluation areas — education, research, student support and graduate outcomes — are well-balanced, adding that the results could guide international students’ choices and widen opportunities for Korean universities. Shin Jang-sup, a professor of economics at the National University of Singapore, praised the ra

Sep 24, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026 seen as blueprint for sustainable globalization

New rankings gauge Korean universities by global influence, not just research

The Korea Times’ new university ranking system, the K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026 (KGER), offers a fresh perspective on what it means to be a global campus. It focuses on global competitiveness, using a sophisticated framework of 22 indicators across four key categories: education, research, student support and graduate outcomes. This year, the ranking evaluated 54 four-year institutions with substantial foreign student populations, relying on publicly available data to ensure impartiality and transparency. At the heart of KGER is its focus on internationalization, with 63.2 percent of the total score devoted to factors that directly shape campus experience for global students. In the education category, international student ratio among enrolled students, diversity of nationalities, ratio of international students meeting language proficiency requirements and their academic retention rate were among the factors assessed. Research takes on a distinctly global dimension in the rankings. Institutions are evaluated on the number of international research papers per facul

Sep 24, 2025By Jung Min-ho
New rankings gauge Korean universities by global influence, not just research

K-universities Global Excellence Rankings sets new standard for university evaluation

Departing from the prestige-driven focus of traditional rankings, the K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026 (KGER) is reshaping how Korea’s universities are evaluated, providing institutions with a road map for improvement while giving prospective international students a clearer view of what each campus offers. While legacy systems such as QS or Times Higher Education (THE) rely on reputation surveys and broad measures of academic prowess, KGER prioritizes what matters most to today’s international students: real evidence of global engagement, transparency and meaningful support. Specifically, existing global university ranking systems have built their authority by collecting subjective opinion polls from academics and employers around the world. In QS rankings, for example, reputation accounts for nearly half the score, giving long-established schools a head start based on historical prestige. Unlike traditional rankings, KGER is grounded in verifiable, objective data, placing priority on the real experiences and success of international students on Korean campuses. Metri

Sep 24, 2025By Jung Min-ho
K-universities Global Excellence Rankings sets new standard for university evaluation

Beyond Seoul, Korean universities vie for global standing

Korea’s long-standing top-tier universities maintained their dominance in the first-ever K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026 (KGER), yet the Top 30 revealed a new wave of contenders. Regional national universities and mid-sized institutions are increasingly staking their claim, signaling a shift in the landscape of Korean higher education and highlighting the rise of alternative centers of excellence. The results point to a more diverse and competitive landscape, with universities beyond Seoul and outside the traditional hierarchy proving their global potential. Amid a demographic crisis and intensifying competition for foreign experts, regional, mid-sized and smaller universities are racing to globalize — a push driven as much by survival as by prestige. KGER aims to serve as a reliable guide for international students choosing to study in Korea, while strengthening the global competitiveness of Korean universities. The evaluation consists of 190 points across four categories: 60 for education, 50 for research, 40 for student support and 40 for graduate outcomes. It was de

Sep 24, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Beyond Seoul, Korean universities vie for global standing

Int’l student boom spurs demand for credible university rankings in Korea

Korea’s higher education sector stands at a crossroads, confronted with a shrinking school-age population and mounting financial pressures, prompting universities to rely increasingly on recruiting international students as a path to survival. As a wide range of Korean cultural exports capture global attention, universities are tapping into the rising interest in studying in Korea, increasingly tailoring recruitment efforts to attract students from around the world. This surge in interest has underscored the need for transparent and reliable ways to gauge the level — and effectiveness — of internationalization at universities in Korea, ensuring that both domestic institutions and prospective students from abroad can make informed decisions. With domestic enrollment in sharp decline, the push for internationalization is not merely an academic ideal but an economic imperative, as universities increasingly look beyond their borders to fill classrooms and secure their long-term viability. According to Statistics Korea, the nation’s school-age population is declining faster than in an

Sep 24, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Int’l student boom spurs demand for credible university rankings in Korea

Top 30 in K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026

As competition for international students reshapes universities worldwide, The Korea Times unveiled the first-ever K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026, evaluating 54 schools across four categories: education, research, student support and graduate outcomes. The evaluation, aimed at gauging global readiness and guiding international students considering studying in Korea, was based on publicly available data from the Ministry of Education’s Higher Education in Korea and Naver Scholytics. The following tables present the Top 30 universities overall, along with the Top 30 by each category.

Sep 24, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Top 30 in K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026

No clear leader as Korean universities excel in different areas

The K-universities Global Excellence Rankings 2026 revealed a shifting landscape in higher education, where leadership is dispersed across institutions and no single university dominates every category. Instead, universities distinguished themselves in different areas, excelling across categories ranging from education and research to student support and alumni influence. While the country’s top-tier universities continued to hold overall sway, the results also showed how other schools are emerging as strong contenders in areas such as research and student services. Universities were assessed on a 190-point scale, with 60 points allocated to education, 50 to research, 40 to student support and 40 to graduate outcomes. The evaluation was designed to serve as a trusted guide for international students while boosting the global competitiveness of Korean universities. Developed by The Korea Times’ evaluation team with six external experts in university globalization, the framework relied on publicly available data from the Ministry of Education and Naver Scholytics to ensure credibility

Sep 24, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
No clear leader as Korean universities excel in different areas

PHOTO Sharing between South Korea and Tajikstan

Officials from Korea Love Sharing Community (KOLOS) and members of pharmaceutical groups pose after pledging to deliver a 1.6 billion won's worth of medicine, nutritional supplements and other items to Tajikistan at a ceremony in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. The event was attended by Tajikistani Ambassador to South Korea Kirom Salohiddin Amriddinzoda, sixth from left, and KOLOS Chairman Lee Eun-deok. The delivery will be made Sept. 25. Courtesy of KOLOS

Sep 23, 2025
[PHOTO] Sharing between South Korea and Tajikstan

Lee asks citizens to join in nationwide cleanup campaign ahead of APEC summit

President Lee Jae Myung on Monday asked citizens to join a nationwide weeklong campaign to better prepare for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit late next month. In a Facebook post, Lee designated this week as a special "cleanup week" to welcome "families and foreigners" to South Korea during Chuseok, one of the country's biggest traditional holidays that falls on Oct. 3 this year, as well as the APEC summit, set for Oct. 31-Nov. 1 in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. "Residents and volunteers plan to work together for an intensive cleanup of areas with poor living conditions and around the traditional markets," he wrote. Lee noted that he will not be able to join the campaign in person as he is scheduled to attend the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Lee departed for a five-day trip earlier in the day to deliver his first address to the annual U.N. gathering since taking office in June.

Sep 22, 2025By Yonhap
Lee asks citizens to join in nationwide cleanup campaign ahead of APEC summit
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