University Presidents Resigning, Declining Competition Rates

Aftermath of Ministry of Education's University Basic Competency Diagnosis Evaluation
Presidents of Inha University, Gunsan University, and Wideok University Resign
Preparing Administrative Lawsuit Against Ministry of Education
Decline in Early Admission Competition Rates Inevitable for Failed Universities

Students are holding placards during a press conference related to the results of the 'University Basic Competency Diagnosis' held on the 30th of last month at the Donam-dong Sujeong Campus of Sungshin Women's University.

Following the Ministry of Education's university basic competency diagnosis evaluation, university presidents have been resigning one after another and filing lawsuits against the Ministry, causing a strong backlash.

On the 13th, the presidents of Inha University, Gunsan University, and Wideok University, which failed the Ministry of Education's university basic competency diagnosis evaluation, expressed their intention to resign. Additionally, 52 universities are consulting with each other to file administrative lawsuits. Jo Myung-woo, president of Inha University, announced on the 9th that he would take responsibility for failing the university competency diagnosis evaluation and expressed his intention to resign along with the vice presidents, currently awaiting the foundation's decision.

Within the schools, the faculty council, student council, and staff are opposing the idea that the issue can be resolved merely by resignations, indicating that the turmoil is likely to be prolonged. The Inha University Faculty Council demanded, "Disclose the data transparently in front of the members and apologize," and "The foundation's board of directors should dismiss all academic staff holding positions related to this incident." The student council and staff union opposed, stating, "Resolving the situation is the priority, and the intention to resign is an irresponsible act." Inside Inha University, there are ongoing calls that priority should be given to identifying the causes of the failure, preventing recurrence, and deriving improvement measures.

With the announcement of the university basic competency diagnosis evaluation results just before this year's early admission, it is expected that the universities that failed will also be affected in the early admission competition rates, which run until the 14th. Even if the competition rates of metropolitan area universities are high, the failed universities are likely to be at a relative disadvantage within the same region due to negative public perception. Last year, the university admission competition rate for Sungshin Women's University was 12.9 to 1, and Inha University was 14.8 to 1. Most of the failed non-metropolitan universities did not reach last year's average competition rate of 8.1 to 1 (5.6 to 1 for non-metropolitan areas). For example, Gimcheon University had 4.0 to 1, Gunsan University 4.0 to 1, Sangji University 3.8 to 1, Wideok University 2.4 to 1, and Daeshin University 1.5 to 1.

According to Jongno Academy, two universities in the Seoul area that failed the competency diagnosis evaluation in 2013 saw their early admission competition rates drop from 24.1 to 1 to 18.7 to 1, and from 26.6 to 1 to 14.4 to 1, respectively, after the announcement. This occurred even though it was not a period of rapid decline in the school-age population, indicating that metropolitan universities were consecutively impacted in their early admission competition rates.

An admissions industry official pointed out, "Sungshin Women's University is experiencing a phenomenon of avoidance of women's universities, and Inha University, being located in the metropolitan area without the Seoul premium, has less influence compared to universities with the Seoul premium, making it a negative factor. The competition rates for non-metropolitan universities will recover even more slowly." He added, "Since the year when current first-year high school students enter university will see a further decrease in university entrants, this year will be a significant turning point for the universities that failed."

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