Universities need reorganization to brace for population decline

Most Korean universities tend to have all kinds of departments ranging from medicine to performing arts. This is a major cause that weakens the competitiveness of Korean universities. Until the 1990s, there was a widespread belief that universities must scale up for development. Universities could comfortably do so as high school graduate applicants outnumbered the entrance quota. Having too many departments, however, makes it difficult for universities to take a “select and focus” strategy to compete against its peers around the world. Once created, departments set up walls and become closed and inefficient. More...