In Response to Regional Universities' Backlash... Ministry of Education to Establish 'Regional University Development Special Committee'

Ministry of Education, Daekyo Association, and Junior College Association to Discuss Measures for Supporting Local Universities and Promoting Coexistence

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Park Soon-ae is attending the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting for COVID-19 response held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 13th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

As opposition from regional universities intensifies over semiconductor workforce development plans, the government has decided to launch a public-private joint special committee to revitalize regional universities.

According to the Ministry of Education on the 15th, next week Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Park Soon-ae will meet with the University Education Council and the Council of Colleges to discuss the formation of the 'Special Committee for the Promotion of Regional Universities.' It is also expected that a preliminary discussion on the soon-to-be-announced 'Semiconductor Talent Development Plan' will take place at this meeting.

The Ministry of Education is rushing to form the special committee, recognizing the need for cooperation among the government, universities, and local governments to expand policies supporting regional universities. With the school-age population rapidly declining, regional universities have been struggling with difficulties such as securing new students and financial hardships. The recent expansion of semiconductor department quotas in metropolitan universities has triggered strong dissatisfaction among regional universities. This also reflects the request made by presidents from seven regions during a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Park on the 8th to establish a 'communication channel' between the Ministry of Education and regional universities.

The Ministry of Education plans to handle the semiconductor talent development plan and the regional university promotion agenda separately. The ministry's position is that the expansion of metropolitan quotas is inevitable, given that the Yoon Seok-yeol administration is driving educational reform through semiconductor talent development and that the semiconductor industry is directly linked to national security and competitiveness.

An official from the Ministry of Education said, "Considering the unique characteristics of the semiconductor industry, we must focus on nurturing excellent talent that can guarantee national industrial competitiveness and a super-gap. Separately, since 'Now is the era of regional universities' is included in the national agenda, we have been contemplating policy measures to promote and support regional universities, and through the special committee, we plan to discuss win-win strategies between metropolitan and regional universities."

The Ministry of Education is reportedly preparing policies to increase semiconductor department quotas by about 10,000 students in total across metropolitan and regional areas by utilizing previously reduced university admission quotas, while additionally investing finances needed for faculty, facilities, and equipment at regional universities. Regional universities are concerned that the expansion of semiconductor quotas at metropolitan universities will accelerate the outflow of faculty and students from regional universities.

Park Maeng-su, president of Wonkwang University, explained, "Providing additional finances to regional universities or using reduced quotas to increase semiconductor department quotas at metropolitan universities is ultimately a policy of 'turning a blind eye.' Unilaterally pushing this forward is tantamount to telling regional universities and areas to perish. Although it may take more time, laying the groundwork for semiconductor talent development centered on regional universities, while having advanced personnel such as master's and doctoral-level experts handled by metropolitan universities or science and technology institutes, could alleviate metropolitan concentration."

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