YAS visiting South Korea

Anna Danielsson, professor in science education, and Gabriele Messori, professor of meteorology, represented YAS and felt very honoured by the professional level and warm hospitality they encountered during the visit.

Visiting South Korea is an inspiring and rewarding experience, a country whose rapid economic progress since the 1960s reflects an impressive capacity to mobilize and focus on specific research and educational areas, primarily in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Given the demographic challenges that both Sweden and South Korea face, with low birth rates and an aging population, it is important to continue strengthening and diversifying our education systems. There are great opportunities for South Korea and Sweden to learn from each other and work together towards common goals. South Korea's focus on STEM subjects is well complemented by Sweden, which, in addition to top research, is home to the Nobel Prize and also contributes to successes in sustainability transformation and, not least, interdisciplinary collaboration.

By sharing experiences and innovations, we can better address global challenges and look to the future with confidence. South Korea has also recently launched an initiative to increase the budget for internationalization and open up new avenues for exchange and joint research projects.

Y-KAST - the Young Academy in South Korea

Y-KAST, Young Korean Academy of Science and Technology, is the youth division of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST) and bridges the gap between new and established scientists in science and technology. Collaboration with KAST ensures Y-KAST's funding and organizational support. Membership in Y-KAST is for two years and renewable until the age of 45. It is organized into five research areas: engineering sciences, natural sciences, agricultural and fisheries sciences, medical sciences, and policy sciences. Engineering sciences make up the largest group and policy sciences the smallest, with a gender distribution of approximately 14% and 86% respectively.

From the perspective of students

Also in South Korea, student and doctoral life is filled with opportunities and challenges. Students admitted to master's programs often receive a salary and have almost guaranteed positions as doctoral students. However, undergraduate programs can be expensive. The biggest challenges include high housing costs, especially in Seoul, and the fact that the timing of doctoral dissertations is determined by the supervisor, which sometimes leads to delays. Research groups are typically large, and contact with the main supervisor varies greatly, from rarely to regular meetings. Industry doctoral candidates are also common.

The cost of a higher education in South Korea

In South Korea, tuition fees vary between national public universities, regular public universities, and private universities. National public universities, such as Seoul National University, are the most subsidised and have the lowest semester fees of approximately 3,500,000 KRW (South Korean won), which corresponds to about 7.95% of the country's gross national income (GNI) for 2024 at 44,000,000 KRW. This cost can be significant for households with incomes near or below the GNI. Although factors such as access to financial support and other expenses also play a role in affordability.

More information

Y-KAST

Symposium and agreement between young academies in Sweden and South Korea

Reports

Comparisons between OECD countries
Women and men distribution and educational achievements in Korea compared to other OECD countries: WISET report 2022 and OECD's education profile for Korea.