<#305 Student Column>
 
What Do You Think of University Reform?
 
By Jeong Ha-na, Guest Reporter
 
Over the past years, the government has asked universities across the nation to make various structural reforms. The merger and abolition (M&A) plan on similar or overlapping majors or departments is one of the controversial issues between the government and universities. Indeed, many universities have already carried forward this plan. Yet, there are still some conflicts in the process and other schools are hesitant to make a decision because of their own situation. Thus far, no sign of the predicted results of university reform has been seen. In this time, Chonnam National University (CNU) also suffers this matter of the reform after the meeting with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology about our school's M&A project. Then, the suggestions by both sides cannot be compatible-no solution?
In 2009, CNU had reaped some benefits from the reform and now it is ready to have more. The grounds of starting this plan can be summed up into one idea: ‘effectiveness of education': educational institutes, especially universities, become responsible for educating students to meet social and global demands. And to make it, they have to change their existing systems by merging or acquiring low effective majors or colleges. These are the reasons for this project: universities have to change with the times..
On the other hand, some schools and students have anxiety over this project: university is basically and ultimately an educational institution. And, students could get confused by complicated and variable systems. Professors seem concerned about the M&A plan insisting that the existence of various fields of majors and colleges are necessary, not only because it is the critical role of the university, but also it is the way to provide students with higher education to develop their abilities. In addition, they regret that those merging or dying fields are dismissed as not practical to these days. This project may take away opportunities of discovering “not practical” fields from students.
This continuing conflict is not easy to solve, however, it may possible find some compatibility. We should not totally neglect the change of global and social streams because one of the main reasons we study in university is to be suitable to them. Also, we have to remember the purpose of education. So, we should regard this conflict as a transition towards a better education system. And in this time, with the change of the system, the government should not push the schools with the support fund. Plus, the schools have to care deeply about the social change and apply it into their reform. Therefore, the M&A in university may be welcomed by everyone concerned.
저작권자 © 전대신문 무단전재 및 재배포 금지