fbpx
Market intelligence for international student recruitment from ICEF
9th May 2012

South Korean educational market maturing

South Korea is increasingly on the radar these days for its continuing market potential, but also in terms of its willingness to strengthen its own educational institutions and to join in bilateral research and academic initiatives.

Strong interest in China

In the past, South Korea has been an important source country for students, with most South Korean students choosing destinations like the US, Canada, and Europe - and more recently showing much more interest in China. Inside Higher Ed reports that 70% of international students in degree programmes in the top Chinese universities are South Korean, and that over the past decade (since China and South Korea established diplomatic relations in 1992) South Korea has represented by far the biggest source country for Chinese universities. However, some Chinese education authorities feel that the quality of South Korean students is lacking in terms of language proficiency and academic calibre (the top South Korean students still tend to choose American and European schools for study abroad). Additionally, cultural exchange has become a priority amongst Korea, China and Japan.  At a trilateral meeting held in Shanghai last Saturday, officials said they have agreed to expand cultural cooperation and promote exchanges between the three countries. The action plan includes programmes designating “cultural cities” in each of the three countries in 2014. The annual meeting was attended by Korean Culture Minister Choe Kwang-shik, China’s Culture Minister Cai Wu and Japan’s Minister of Education, Culture Sports, Science and Technology Hirofumi Hirano.

Increased research cooperation with Europe

South Korean students’ interest in language programmes has always been strong and remains so - language programmes accounted for 57% of overall South Korean agent business in 2011. But now, new agreements may be paving the way for South Koreans’ increased participation in other kinds of international study. The European Union and South Korea have agreed to a range of initiatives to strengthen research cooperation, according to University World News. The online reporting service quoted European Commission President José Manuel Barroso as saying the intent of such cooperation is “to build innovation alliances at the business and research institutes’ level.” Barroso sees great potential for work in the fields of environmentally friendly technologies, in particular “joint initiatives in energy, industrial technologies and information technology which would include linking of research projects (twinning) and specific items such as joint EU-South Korean workshops.”

Seeking models for educational reform

Interested not only in its role as a source country for students but also as a destination country for study abroad, South Korea is working to upgrade its schools and practices to make them more attractive. Dr Seong Taeje, President of the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) recently travelled to Wellington, New Zealand for meetings with Education New Zealand (ENZ), New Zealand Qualifications Authority, the Ministry of Education, and the New Zealand Council for Educational Research. ENZ reported that the “Korean government is keen to learn more about New Zealand’s education system and curriculum as they move to update their own schools and curriculum.” The organisation noted that of particular interest seemed to be “the decentralised system in New Zealand and the ability of schools to create a learning environment that is appropriate to the needs of their students.”

Branch campuses opening in Songdo, Incheon

Joining other universities gravitating to the Incheon Free Economic Zone in South Korea, State University of New York opened its first branch campus there earlier this year. The Korea Herald reports that “two more schools are expected to open in Incheon, including George Mason University in the US and Ghent University from Belgium, as part of the Korean government’s effort to create a special zone for higher education in the area.” Sources: Inside Higher Ed, University World News, Education New Zealand, The Korea Herald

Most Recent

  • ICEF Podcast: Together for transparency – Building global standards for ethical international student recruitment Read More
  • New analysis sounds a note of caution for UK immigration reforms Read More
  • The number of students in higher education abroad has more than tripled since the turn of the century Read More

Most Popular

  • Which countries will contribute the most to global student mobility in 2030? Read More
  • Research shows link between study abroad and poverty alleviation  Read More
  • Beyond the Big Four: How demand for study abroad is shifting to destinations in Asia and Europe Read More

Because you found this article interesting

New analysis sounds a note of caution for UK immigration reforms Within the UK’s higher education system, there are a group of institutions known as “Post-1992 universities”. The term...
Read more
The number of students in higher education abroad has more than tripled since the turn of the century The latest figures from UNESCO indicate continued strong growth in higher education enrolments globally. From the year 2000,...
Read more
US warns of expanded travel ban that could affect key African markets “The United States is considering restricting entry to citizens of an additional 36 countries in what would be...
Read more
Breaking: US resumes student visa processing On 18 June, the US State Department sent a cable to all US diplomatic posts abroad instructing them...
Read more
Is Canada valued more as a “pathway to immigration” or as a destination for education? During a 12 June 2025 webinar presented by the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) and IDP, IDP...
Read more
Japanese outbound numbers reached 90% of pre-pandemic levels in 2024 An annual survey of Japanese education agents finds that outbound student numbers from this key sending market are...
Read more
UK: Study visa applications up by nearly a third year to date The early data we are seeing so far this year makes a couple of things clear. First, there...
Read more
Real-time insights on shifting international student interest in the US ICEF and NAFSA co-hosted a featured webinar on 11 June, and the session showcased some important data reflecting...
Read more
What are you looking for?
Quick Links