Emergency Lights On for University Freshman Enrollment Rates... Realization of Quota Reduction at Regional Universities

Additional Recruitment of Over 30,000 Freshmen... Additional Recruitment Competition Rate 0.17 to 1
Even with Voluntary Quota Reduction, Regional Universities Unavoidably Sacrificed
Limitations of Department Mergers and Quota Reductions, 'Enrollment Reservation Quota System' as an Alternative

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The decline in the school-age population has triggered alarm bells for universities struggling to fill their freshman quotas. Due to demographic changes, it is expected that in 2024 there will be a shortage of more than 120,000 students compared to the existing admission capacity, prompting calls to expedite university restructuring. The government's financial support evaluation criteria have also increased the weighting of the 'enrollment rate' standard, forcing regional universities to reluctantly reduce their quotas.

According to the University Education Council, about 30,000 freshmen were not recruited in the regular admission process for the 2021 academic year. The number of additional recruits increased by about 20,000 compared to the previous year. The average competition rate for additional recruitment in 2021 was only 0.17 to 1, and 77 universities failed to secure their quotas even through additional recruitment. Universities with a large number of additional recruits were mostly regional private universities, including △Kyungbuk Daegu University with 879 students △Busan Dongmyung University with 805 students △Gangwon Sangji University with 769 students △Jeonbuk Wonkwang University with 766 students △Busan Silla University with 746 students △Kyungbuk Gyeongju University with 667 students.

Following the freshman shortage crisis, Kim Sang-ho, president of Daegu University, announced his voluntary resignation taking responsibility, after which the school dismissed him. Sangji University and Wonkwang University also faced demands for their presidents' resignations. The tragedy of failing to meet freshman quotas is not limited to regional private universities. Gangwon University Samcheok Campus, Gyeongsang National University Tongyeong Campus, and Chonnam National University Yeosu Campus also experienced shortages. The Ministry of Education is scheduled to announce measures to address the large-scale freshman shortage for the 2021 academic year by the end of this month.

Encouraging Voluntary Quota Reduction... Regional Universities Consolidate Departments

With the rapid decline in the school-age population and low student enrollment rates, universities heavily dependent on tuition fees are facing concerns over financial difficulties. In the past, many schools were expelled due to management corruption or moral hazard, but recently, more universities are facing financial difficulties due to the declining school-age population caused by low birth rates. Especially since universities have a huge impact on the local economy, the structure inevitably sacrifices regional universities.

Until now, university restructuring mainly involved government-led quota reductions. According to the University Education Research Institute, during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, university quotas were reduced by 71,134 students; during the Lee Myung-bak administration, by 36,164 students; and during the Park Geun-hye administration, by 60,614 students. The main targets were regional universities and junior colleges. Since the Moon Jae-in administration, the approach has shifted to encouraging voluntary quota reductions, citing that past quota cuts lacked consideration for regional universities and were not linked to support. Through the 2nd cycle university restructuring evaluation (2018), quotas were reduced by only 10,000 students.

In 2021, the Ministry of Education announced the 'Basic Plan for University Basic Competency Diagnosis,' entrusting quota reductions to university autonomy while increasing the evaluation score for freshman enrollment rates from 10 points to 20 points. Evaluations began in May, and as regional universities started reducing quotas through department consolidations, enrolled students have been bewildered. Hallym Sacred Heart University is pushing for the closure of three departments, and Gangwon Tourism University has announced plans to eliminate six out of seven departments. Silla University has declared a 15% reduction in freshmen and is promoting the consolidation of the music and dance departments within the Creative Performing Arts Division.

Professor Song Ki-chang of the Department of Education at Sookmyung Women's University explained, "Capital area universities have no reason to reduce quotas, and only regional universities are forced to reduce quotas to meet enrollment rates. Cooperation between capital area and regional universities is necessary, and the government must intervene to prevent the complete collapse of regional universities."

Uniform Quota Reduction Is Insufficient... Need to Categorize Types and Open Exit Routes

There are also calls to consider a 'reserved admission quota system' that allows universities to increase quotas again when necessary, rather than uniformly inducing quota reductions. This aims to prevent a vicious cycle where universities with low freshman enrollment rates are stigmatized as problematic and face even greater difficulties in recruiting freshmen, thus losing financial support. Hwang Hong-gyu, Secretary General of the University Education Council, said, "When undergraduate quotas are converted to graduate quotas, student recruitment can proceed smoothly. There is a need to introduce a system that allows universities to suspend quota recruitment and increase it when necessary. Many universities are unprepared for department reorganization, so they should be given time to restructure according to reality. It is also necessary to enhance autonomous financial expansion capabilities to reduce dependence on tuition fees."

According to an analysis by the Korea Educational Development Institute of universities with poor records in university restructuring evaluations and cycles, △73.8% were non-capital area universities △82.1% were small- to medium-sized private universities. In the long term, since universities face different situations, there are calls to apply differentiated policies by categorizing types of insolvency. The proposal is to distinguish between universities that cannot be revived, those that need to be expelled, and those that require voluntary exit routes. Seo Young-in, head of the Higher Education System Research Office at the Korea Educational Development Institute, said, "We aim for a policy of revival first, then expulsion, while differentiating limited universities by type, opening voluntary exit routes, and ensuring fairness in expelling universities that cannot be revived. It is also necessary to enact laws such as the 'University Closure Management Act' to explore alternatives for utilizing idle assets."

Professor Kim Byung-joo of the Department of Education at Yeungnam University said, "Financial deterioration will accelerate due to the decrease in tuition revenue at private universities, and legal measures are needed to induce balanced quota reductions and the expulsion of limited universities. To voluntarily expel limited universities through voluntary restructuring or closure under the Private School Act, legal grounds for dissolution and the disposition of residual assets must be established in the Private School Act," he explained.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.