전주대학교

Jeonju University, selected as ‘(Preliminary) Self-reforming College’ that Examining the Basic Capabilities of the University from the Department of Education

- Excluding from a target of reducing student capacity and receiving a benefit of financial support -

Jeonju university achieved the best record, since it was selected as ‘(preliminary) self-reforming college’ in ‘the examination of the basic capacity of the university education’ in 2018 which was host by the department of education.

‘The examination of the basic capacity of the university,’ which was formerly ‘the evaluation of the university structural reform’ a year ago in 2015, was implemented to normalize college education and reduce the number of students due to a decrease in population. Since the top 60 percent of colleges and universities would receive a benefit of reducing student capacity and financial support in a large scale, all universities are paying attention to this result. This examination would be a watershed event that determines the future of universities.

For this examination of the basic capacity of the university, 120 universities among 187 universities in Korea were selected as ‘(preliminary) self-reforming college.’ The self-reforming colleges can voluntarily reduce their student capacity based on their circumstances without any advice related to reduce their student capacity. Also, they will receive financial support in a large scale from 2019. The bottom 40 percent of universities will be divided into ‘capacity building college’ and ‘financial support limit college’ after two-steps evaluation and get an advice to reduce the number of students by 20,000 over the next three years. If the college is selected as ‘financial support limit college,’ it will be limited to get financial aid, state scholarships, and student loans.

Jeonju university received the highest grade in the second evaluation after the first evaluation and excluded from the student capacity reduction list. On the first evaluation, it was included in the highest rating (Class A, self-regulation of student capacity) which was for only 34 out of 163 universities across the country.

The president of Jeonju university, Hoin Lee said that “I sincerely thank all members of the university for their efforts to achieve the highest grade as  ‘(preliminary) self-reforming college.’ I will not be arrogant for the good result in the second evaluation after the first evaluation, but will focus on education and management innovation with the essence of the university itself in mind.”

Meanwhile, the government plans to reduce 20,000 out of 50,000 people, who were originally planned to cut through the second structural reform, through a capacity evaluation and naturally reduce other 30,000 people by ‘market logic.’