University Presidents Pleading for Survival: "Failing the 3rd Cycle Diagnostic Evaluation Is Equivalent to Stigma"

Concerns Over Stigma and Financial Deterioration Ahead of 3rd Cycle Diagnostic Evaluation
School-Age Population to Halve by 2040... "Urgent Need for Competitiveness Enhancement Measures"
Recommendations to Maintain Quota Reduction and Calls for Detailed Enrollment Rate Segmentation by Region and Size

[Busan=Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] "The financial situation is at its limit due to tuition freeze. If we fail to be selected in the 3rd cycle diagnostic evaluation, it will create a stigma effect. In a situation where the school-age population is insufficient, the survival of universities that fail may become impossible." (Jang Jeguk, Chairman of the Private University Presidents' Council and President of Dongseo University)

The campus doors will open from the second semester, but universities are deeply worried. This is because complex issues such as the decline in the school-age population, tuition freeze, and the 3rd cycle diagnostic evaluation are intertwined.

The Korea Council for University Education (hereinafter referred to as K-CUE) held a summer university presidents' seminar on the 1st and 2nd at Paradise Hotel in Haeundae-gu, Busan, with presidents of 132 universities nationwide attending, under the theme "Challenges and Responses of Universities in the Era of COVID-19 and Ultra-Low Birthrate."

Kim Incheol, Chairman of K-CUE, said in his opening remarks, "The prolonged non-face-to-face classes have weakened academic achievement and self-development motivation for first- and second-year students, and heightened anxiety about career paths for graduates. The COVID-19 situation has posed a great challenge to our traditional analog universities. The rapid decline in the school-age population, tuition freeze, increase in local taxes, regulations on the four major requirements (campus land, buildings, faculty, and basic property for profit), and competition-oriented diagnostic evaluations are threatening the survival and ecosystem of universities."

Chairman Kim emphasized, "The university innovation support project budget should be expanded to around 2 trillion won in 2022, and financial support should be significantly increased by enacting laws such as the Special Account for Higher Education Support. Unless there are issues in the 3rd cycle university diagnostic evaluation to be announced in August, innovation support project funds should be granted to all participating universities and the usage restrictions should be lifted to convert them into general support project funds. Only then can we focus our capabilities on expanding face-to-face classes and educational recovery."

At the discussion held that day, local small and private universities appealed for expanded financial support, stating that they are in even more difficult situations.

Choi Byungwook, President of Hanbat National University, said, "Many national universities are located in small and medium-sized cities, and this year, some failed to fill their admission quotas. The financial crisis making it difficult to secure competitiveness could soon become a national crisis, so protective measures are urgently needed."

Jung Jongcheol, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, said, "In 2018, the financial support ratio was 70%, but if we sufficiently persuade the Ministry of Economy and Finance to secure the budget this time, this ratio can also become more flexible."

Concerns were also raised that measures to strengthen competitiveness are urgently needed as the school-age population is expected to be halved by 2040. Park Maengsu, President of Wonkwang University, pointed out, "The discourse on higher education has been pushed to the sidelines in Korean society over the past 20 years, which is essentially a matter of national competitiveness. The issue of survival of higher education in the global era should be nationalized as an agenda, and a qualitative transition in preparation for the decline in the school-age population is necessary."

In response, Vice Minister Jung said, "This year, we focused on overcoming the immediate crisis, so preparations for the future higher education system transition were relatively neglected. We will form a consultative body with K-CUE and draw a blueprint encompassing mid- to long-term development strategies."

As difficulties in securing new student quotas due to the decline in the school-age population deepen, there are complaints that the Ministry of Education's measures are rather tightening the constraints on universities. In May, the Ministry of Education required universities to establish autonomous innovation plans including appropriate scaling plans by March next year in the 'Systematic Management and Innovation Support Plan for Universities.' The core is to check the maintenance enrollment rate (the enrollment rate of new and current students that must be maintained to receive financial support) targets and to promote quota reductions for 30-50% of universities within regions. Universities suggest that quota reduction should be based on the difference between the number of high school graduates and university admission quotas by region.

Hwang Honggyu, Secretary General of K-CUE, pointed out, "The scope of universities recommended for reduction should be subdivided by region and size, and there is an opinion that setting reduction ratios relative to admission quotas can cause distortions. When setting the maintenance enrollment rate, similar-sized regions should be grouped and checked to ensure that only local universities are not disadvantaged."

On that day, university presidents adopted a resolution to jointly strive for △ expansion of higher education finances △ normalization of university education △ establishment of a consultative body between universities and the Ministry of Education.

They agreed to promote structural improvement and specialization of universities in response to the decline in the school-age population, seek a significant expansion of the higher education budget, and cooperate to build a higher education ecosystem for sharing and co-growth among universities in response to the decline in the school-age population.

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