[Choi Jun-young's Urban Pilgrimage] The Crisis of Regions and Local Universities

Local Universities' Regular Admission Competition Ratio at 2.7 to 1, Effectively Under Quota
Population Decline Since 2000... Increasing Concentration of Economy in Capital Area
The Key to Local University Innovation Lies in Breaking Fixed Mindsets

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Recently, the regular admissions for the 2021 academic year have closed. In the case of regional universities, the average competition rate was 2.7 to 1. According to the admissions industry, a competition rate below 3 to 1 is considered as effectively under-enrollment. In particular, the competition rates of regional flagship national universities, which are key higher education institutions in their areas, have significantly declined. For example, Kyungpook National University recorded a rate of 3.11 to 1, down from 3.59 to 1 last year. Competition rates at Pusan National University, Jeonbuk National University, Chungnam National University, and Chungbuk National University also fell compared to last year.

This phenomenon is due to the full-fledged effects of population decline that began in the early 2000s. There are gloomy forecasts that this trend will accelerate further in the future. The disappearance of regions and regional universities is progressing simultaneously.

The contraction and downsizing of universities have a significant impact on local communities. Universities produce trained human resources and serve as think tanks conducting various research and analyses needed by the community. Large numbers of students and faculty members act as a pillar supporting the local economy. Universities are also places where new ideas and concepts emerge to lead regional change and development. By participating in research and development required by companies, they help foster the formation of a knowledge industry ecosystem alongside industrial advancement. This is why universities in the UK are referred to as the "anchor institutions" of cities.

On the other hand, universities also function to connect regions with the nation and the world. They exchange knowledge and experience within the global academic community. By delivering this to the cities where they are located, they help promote urban development and strengthen competitiveness. Universities in Europe and the United States maintain close relationships with their regions in various ways. They also serve as guides to help cities and regions adapt and develop anew in rapidly changing times.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Universities in Korea have existed somewhat detached from their regions. They were clearly distinguished from their surroundings by the physical unit of the campus. Socially, although located in the region, they were more closely connected to Seoul and the metropolitan area through academic societies and various projects than to the local community. Even within the region, rather than demanding that universities supply human resources to meet local needs, there was a preference and encouragement for advancement to Seoul and the metropolitan area. Although there was a constant demand for research and development in the manufacturing-centered regional industrial structure, it was mostly regarded as the responsibility of headquarters and corporate research institutes located in Seoul and the metropolitan area, not the local sites.

This relationship began to shake in the mid-1990s when the relative competitiveness of metropolitan areas started to rise. With the full-scale advent of the information age, represented by the internet, populations concentrated in large cities began to acquire a new level of competitiveness. New businesses created within the complexity of large cities relied on a small number of specialized personnel. These personnel were nurtured through close interpersonal contact experiences and internationalized physical and human networks.

In contrast, manufacturing, which supported regions and regional universities, began to weaken due to the overseas relocation of business sites. Companies started to shift toward automation and high value-added industries to overcome declining competitiveness. In this process, regional universities were marginalized or received little attention. There was also little movement toward other changes following regional industrial transformation. This delay ultimately led to weakened competitiveness. Added to this external change of population decline, a greater crisis is approaching.

In fact, the crisis facing universities is not unique to Korea. In the United States, adjustments in departments and personnel structures centered on state universities have recently begun in earnest. This trend, which started due to declining freshman enrollment rates, rising dropout rates among enrolled students, and reduced support caused by worsening state government finances, is expected to accelerate further.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In small to medium-sized universities, even tenured professors are being dismissed. Reductions and closures of departments that struggle to attract external research funding are underway. The American example shows that the university crisis is not a temporary phenomenon caused by the COVID-19 pandemic but a fundamental change. The expansion of online education and the growing negative perception of the cost-effectiveness of university education are problems faced by higher education institutions worldwide. From this perspective, the problems currently faced by regional universities cannot be overcome simply by increasing support budgets.

In response, the government announced the "Basic Plan for the Local Government-University Cooperation-Based Regional Innovation Project" in January last year. The core is to support regional universities to stand as key agents of regional innovation. This project aims to innovate academic programs and curricula centered on solving regional problems and to help regional universities collaborate with local institutions to carry out regional innovation tasks. If implemented as planned, it could be a new experience for both the region and regional universities and enable future changes. However, one year later, concrete signs of change and achievements are not clearly visible.

The key to regional universities and regional innovation lies in breaking free from fixed ideas and having the attitude to venture into uncharted paths. New paths will open only through the efforts of members to find a substantial role within the region, free from past notions. It is not an easy path, but there is no time to hesitate.

Choi Jun-young, Specialist, Law Firm Yulchon