Greetings to all members of the university community, I am O-Bong YANG, the President of Jeonbuk National University, and I have been appointed as the 29th Chairman of Korean Council for University Education(KCUE).

Along with Vice-Chairmen Chang-Hoon Byun, President of Daegu Haany University, Kyung-Ho Lim, President of Kongju National University, and Ki-Jun Lee, President of Hanyang University, I will do my best to contribute to the development of the 197 member universities and higher education.

Since its establishment in 1982, the KCUE has made significant contributions to enhancing the competitiveness of universities and increasing autonomy, thanks to the dedicated efforts of past presidents and numerous university leaders. In particular, whenever universities have faced crises, we have gathered the wisdom of university leaders and academics to propose wise solutions, ensuring that universities firmly establish themselves as a key pillar of national development.

However, as all of us in academia are keenly aware, our universities are facing unprecedented challenges. The drastic decline in the school-age population, the financial crisis of universities, and the intensifying global competition pose a serious threat to the survival of universities. The accountability of universities has never been more important, and universities must embrace innovative reforms, even at the cost of great sacrifice.

Universities must actively engage in cultivating highly skilled talent as required by the nation and society, as well as enhancing research competitiveness to contribute to regional and national development. Only then can universities earn the trust of our society and become institutions that offer hope to our citizens.

As the Chairman of KCUE, I will devote myself to expanding funding for higher education.

As of 2021, the per-student public education expenditure for higher education in our country is 66.2% of the OECD average, and the ratio of government expenditure on higher education to GDP is 0.7%, which is lower than the OECD average. In the 2024 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking, our country ranks 20th out of 67 countries, but the competitiveness of higher education is ranked 46th, placing it in the lower tier. Therefore, I will focus on the following three priorities to increase financial resources for universities:

First, I will make every effort to extend the Special Account for Higher Education and Lifelong Education Support (a temporary program running for three years until this year) through collaboration with the government and the National Assembly.

Second, I will work to ensure that the RISE project, which begins this year, serves as a catalyst for innovation across all universities and becomes a virtuous cycle for regional development.

Third, Over the past 16 years, tuition fees have been frozen, leading to extremely difficult financial conditions for universities. I will work with the government, the National Assembly, and other relevant agencies to ensure that universities can autonomously raise tuition fees within the legal limits without facing disadvantages in government support.

In addition to these, there are many tangled issues that KCUE must address. To solve these wisely, I will implement a president who is proactive and goes the extra mile. I will visit the presidents of member universities more frequently and listen attentively to the problems they face and areas that need improvement. I will also establish a communication system with the Ministry of Education to ensure that the insights of university presidents are actively reflected in university policies.

Through this, I will strive to create a framework where national and private universities, universities in the metropolitan area and regional universities, large and small universities, and general and specialized universities can coexist and thrive together. I will do my best to ensure that KCUE becomes a service institution that alleviates the difficulties of its member universities.

Once again, I ask for your warm interest and affection for KCUE from university presidents and all members of the university community across the country. I will work hard to enhance the competitiveness of Korean universities. Thank you. Sincerely,