[471 Cover] Institutional Dilemmas in Managing Growth: Challenges of Internationlization in Universities

   Private universities in South Korea are facing mounting challenges due to a sharp increase in international student enrollment. While many institutions have actively recruited international students to improve their internationalization scores and global rankings, this rapid growth has sparked concern among domestic students and faculty. Critics argue that the influx has outpaced universities’ capacity to provide adequate academic and administrative support, leading to classroom disruptions, communication barriers, and strained resources. These concerns are not directed at international students themselves, but at the lack of institutional readiness to accommodate them. Reflecting these frustrations, a recent hand-written poster from the Department of Film stated that the department is experiencing serious challenges due to the uncontrolled rise in international student admissions.

Demographic decline puts private universities at risk

   One major factor driving this trend is South Korea’s demographic decline. Persistently low birth rates have drastically reduced the number of college-age students, leading to lower freshman enrollment. According to Statistics Korea, the country’s fertility rate fell below 1.3 in 2001 and hit a record low of 0.72 in 2023, the lowest among OECD countries. As a result, the population aged 18 to 22 continues to shrink and is expected to decline further over the next decade.        

   Private universities outside the Seoul metropolitan area are particularly affected, struggling to fill enrollment quotas. While Seoul-based universities maintain stable recruitment thanks to reputation and job opportunities, many regional institutions have had to reduce or merge departments— developments that threaten both educational quality and infrastructure. 

   For example, universities in regions such as Gangwon State and Jeollanam-do have experienced severe declines in student enrollment, prompting emergency restructuring measures. According to data from the Korean Council for University Education, over 50 private universities nationwide failed to meet 80% of their admission quotas in the 2024 academic year. In some cases, entire departments have been shut down, and faculty contracts have not been renewed. These measures have disrupted the continuity of academic programs and weakened the research capacity of affected institutions. 

   A shrinking student body also means falling tuition revenue, which can jeopardize essential operations like facility maintenance. This demographic challenge is not temporary; it poses a long-term threat to the sustainability of higher education in Korea.

Limited revenue streams drive financial strain

   Universities also face difficulty diversifying revenue beyond tuition. Unlike private companies, universities have limited means to generate income. According to 2022 data from the Ministry of Education, many private universities depend on tuition for 60% to 80% of their total revenue. Other income sources— such as university-run businesses or donations-are usually limited to large, prestigious institutions. While some schools operate commercial ventures like Yonsei Milk or Daegu University's "Haru 8" bottled water, these cases are exceptions. As a result, many schools face chronic funding shortages, aging infrastructure, and declining educational quality. To mitigate financial pressure, universities increasingly see international students as a practical solution. They often pay higher tuition fees and are not subject to government enrollment caps, allowing institutions to expand student numbers without legal limitations.

Enrolling international students to boost institutional revenue

   Recruiting international students has thus become a key strategy for many schools. Data from the Ministry of Education and KEDI (Korean Educational Development Institute) show that the number of international students in Korea is expected to reach nearly 200,000 in 2024, with over half attending private universities. For many institutions, especially smaller ones, international students are essential to offsetting tuition losses. These students are not subject to the same government-imposed tuition limits as domestic students, giving schools greater financial flexibility. Many have responded by establishing dedicated recruitment offices and expanding English-language programs.

   While this can promote campus diversity and global skill development, it also presents challenges. Language barriers and cultural gaps often hinder student integration and academic engagement. Some institutions have adopted lax admission standards, raising concerns about educational quality. In some cases, international students leave after brief stays or shift focus to employment and immigration rather than further study, pointing to the need for better support systems. Without a long-term vision, such trends risk undermining trust and cohesion on campus.

The impact of global ranking pressures on university policy

   Another factor behind the internationalization push is global ranking pressure. International students, foreign faculty, and English-language courses were once key metrics in Korean university evaluations. This led many schools to expand English courses and hire foreign faculty indiscriminately. However, such ranking-driven policies have been criticized for focusing on appearance over substance, potentially compromising educational fairness and quality. For example, offering more generous scholarships or relaxed admissions to international students compared to domestic ones can spark resentment and create academic gaps. These issues ultimately led the Ministry of Education and KEDI to remove internationalization indicators from university assessments. Today, genuine integration and equity-not just numbers-should guide university internationalization strategies.

Structural gaps in managing international admissions

   Student pushback has become more visible recently, as demonstrated by the hand-written poster from the Department of Film. Released on December 23rd, 2024, the poster brought public attention to the department's ongoing challenges caused by the rapid influx of international students. The department's student president clarified in a follow-up official statement that their concern is not directed at the international students themselves, but rather at institutional decisions that have led to admitting more students than the department can effectively support and manage.

   Currently, the admissions process for international students is primarily handled by the university's Office of International Affairs, which often operates independently from the academic departments. This administrative separation has resulted in cases where students are admitted without possessing sufficient Korean language proficiency or academic preparedness to follow the department's curriculum. Despite repeated requests from professors and department heads to raise language proficiency requirements and admission standards, the university administration has so far declined to implement stricter criteria.

   This situation underscores the urgent need for structural reform within universities. Academic departments should be granted greater authority and responsibility over the admissions process for international students, enabling closer communication and direct support tailored to students' academic and cultural needs. Without such reforms, both domestic and international students continue to face challenges stemming from miscommunication, inadequate academic support, and a strained learning environment that negatively affects overall educational quality.

   Importantly, the concerns raised do not reflect discrimination against international students but rather highlight a deeper structural imbalance in the way universities currently manage international enrollment. Addressing these issues is essential to creating a fair and sustainable academic environment where all students can thrive.

Towards quality and inclusion in Korea's internationalization

   The recent growth in international student enrollment is not merely a numbers game. Critics argue that Korea's internationalization efforts focus too heavily on quantity rather than quality. Language requirements, such as Level 3 on the TOPIK(Test of Proficiency in Korean) test, are seen as vague and too lenient compared to the standards expected of domestic students. 

   Scholarship distribution also raises concerns about fairness. For example, at Dongguk University, international students may receive scholarships covering up to 60% of tuition through various programs. While these students often pay higher base fees, domestic students question whether the benefits reflect academic performance. Some international students even end up paying less overall than their domestic counterparts. To ensure fairness and transparency, universities should consider establishing separate scholarship budgets or clearer criteria specifically for international recipients. 

   More broadly, universities must move beyond the numerical aspects of internationalization and focus on building inclusive academic ecosystems. This involves offering structured Korean language programs, intercultural competency workshops, and academic mentoring tailored to international students. Institutions should also promote student-to-student exchange programs, joint projects, and shared housing initiatives that facilitate meaningful interaction between domestic and international students. In the absence of integrative efforts, internationalization may amount to little more than a superficial label rather than a substantive educational objective.

   Beyond scholarships, institutions must confront a broader and pressing question: "Who is internationalization really for?" For many regional universities in South Korea, recruiting international students has become a matter of survival in the face of shrinking domestic enrollment due to demographic decline. However, if these students are not adequately supported —academically, socially, and culturally-the policy risks becoming unsustainable and even harmful. International student policies, while undeniably crucial in addressing higher education's current challenges, can inadvertently create new conflicts between domestic and international students or lead to diminished academic standards if implemented without care. Sustainable internationalization must therefore go beyond mere numbers and instead promote mutual growth, where both domestic and international students are able to thrive in an inclusive academic environment. This requires shifting the focus from short-term enrollment targets to long-term educational equity and quality. Ultimately, internationalization is no longer a minor administrative concern or a marketing tool—it is a central issue that will define the future of Korean higher education. As such, cooperation between universities, government bodies, local communities, and students is essential. The government must adopt long-term, flexible financial strategies that account for regional disparities, while universities must implement proactive and inclusive policies that genuinely support integration. Only through these coordinated, multi-layered efforts can become a meaningful force for revitalizing Korea's private universities and reinforcing the public value of education.