Januray 10, 2011 | Hotel President Seoul

The Korean Council for University Education (KCUE) convened an invitational policy discussion attended by Minister of Education, Science, and Technology Ju-Ho Lee, KCUE Chairman Ki-Su Lee (President of Korea University), and twenty-two university presidents including the Council's vice-chairmen.

In the meeting, Minister Lee requested that universities nationwide freeze tuition levels or minimize as far as possible any necessary increases. He thanked Seoul National University, Chonbuk National University, Hansei University, and other institutions that have already frozen tuition despite challenging economic circumstances. University presidents in attendance acknowleged government efforts to control inflation while seeking the government's understanding of the administrative difficulties encountered due to tuition freezes or increase limits over the past three years. They asked that the government expand its financial support of higher education institutions.

While discussing university admissions policies, the attending presidents expressed a collective opinion that students and parents were over-burdended by the high wieght of personal statements in admissions and the extreme complexity of the admissions system and thus faced increasing private costs related to education. They opined that universities need to be able to independently determine the wieght of personal statements and simplify admissions procedures.

Ultimately the attending presidents agreed to work to participate in nationwide efforts to control inflation and minimize the burden of tuiton costs on students and parents by freezing tuition or minimizing increases according to the independent decisions of relevant committees on each campus. Minister Lee agreed to work with the Ministry of Strategy and Finance and other government bodies to increase public financial support of universities.