The Chosun Ilbo and QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) have promoted the academic accreditation in Asia for 5 consecutive years and the tension between the competing universities specialized in ‘internationalization’ is greater now than any other year. The number of students who study in universities in the Asian region has been increased from 175 thousand in 2009 to 255 thousand people in 2013. During the same period, the number of foreign faculty has increased by 68.1% (21 thousand people in 2009 → 35 thousand people in 2013).

Especially, Korean universities are securing favorable position in this internationalization index. In the past, a foreign language-specialized university like Hankuk University of Foreign Studies has secured advanced position in internationalization; nowadays, most universities are exerting efforts to actively promote internationalization.

◇ The top 20 Korean universities that are ranked in the top 50 of the world internationalization

‘The Chosun Ilbo and QS (Quacquarelli Symonds)’ evaluates the level of internationalization by synthesizing the four indices as ▲ ratio of foreign faculty, ▲ ratio of foreign students, ▲ ratio of exchange students to foreign universities, and ▲ ratio of foreign exchange students.
The Korean university that is ranked in the top 10 ‘internationalization university’ is Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (9th rank). Hong Kong has the highest number of universities ranked in the top 10, followed by Singapore with two universities. However, there are 20 Korean universities in the top 50. Ben Sowter who is in charge of QS accreditation said, “Except for Hong Kong and Singapore that have been internationalized cities, the internationalization rank among the Korean universities is overwhelming.”

The Korean universities secured high ranks in the index of ‘exchange student.’ As for the ratio of exchange students to foreign universities, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (5th rank), Kyunghee University (11th rank), Korea University (14th rank), Dongguk University (15th rank), Hanyang University (17th rank), and Sungkyunkwan University (19th rank) secured their respective positions in the Top 20 Asian universities while Yeungnam University (35th rank), Inha University (42nd rank), Konkook University (43rd rank), and Kookmin University (48th rank) were among the top 50.

◇ Slow progress in the introduction of excellent foreign faculty Despite such achievement, there is still much to be done for the internationalization of Korean universities.
POSTECH (20th rank) is the only university that was ranked in the top 20 for ‘the ratio of foreign faculty.’ Even Seoul National University achieved only the 27th rank. What would be the reason for this? The dean of academic affairs Park, Hyen-wuk said, “The excellent foreign scholars are concerned not only about the research environment of a university but also about the housing, children’s education, and medication” and added, “We exert a lot of effort but due to lack of budget and excellent R&D projects, it is difficult to introduce excellent foreign faculty nowadays.” Ben Sowter “The number of foreign faculty in the National University of Singapore, which is the best university in Asia, got increased from 1000 people in 2009 to 3000 people in five years. This radical increase was possible not only through the efforts made by the university itself but also through the globalized national system.”

The number of top 50 universities specialized in internationalization
Unit: University
Ratio of foreign faculty	외국인 교원 비율
Ratio of foreign students	외국인학생비율
Ratio of exchange students  to foreign universities	해외로 나간 학생 비율
Top 50 Asian universities specialized in internationalization	아시아 대학의 국제화 종합 순위
Internationalized index rank	국제화 지표별 순위

The synthesized four indices related to internationalization: ratio of foreign faculty, ratio of foreign students, ratio of exchange students to foreign universities, and ratio of foreign exchange students