As synthetic intelligence (AI) reshapes the worldwide higher-education panorama, long-standing college rating methods are beneath strain to maneuver past static, output-driven metrics and higher account for the way establishments innovate and construct digital capability.
The sixteenth College Rating Discussion board of Korea (URFK) on Thursday examined how international college rankings should evolve within the AI period — and the place Korean universities presently stand.
“Evaluations are a possibility to reaffirm a college’s core mission and future imaginative and prescient,” Ewha Womans College President Lee Hyang-sook stated in her opening remarks.
Launched in 2014 and held yearly since, the URFK introduced collectively round 100 greater schooling stakeholders and international college rating consultants this yr.
A poster for the sixteenth College Rating Discussion board of Korea / Courtesy of Ewha Womans College
For universities, rankings now perform as greater than a aggressive tally. They sign an establishment’s tutorial path, the robustness of its analysis setting, its social duty and its dedication to nurturing future professionals.
As universities grapple with AI-driven transformation, a deepening demographic disaster and rising international competitors, consultants and rating officers stated the rating system itself should additionally evolve. With AI reshaping how universities function and innovate, they argued that analysis frameworks must replicate new fashions of administration and long-term sustainability.
“Right now, universities should transfer past merely transmitting data,” Lee stated. “They have to change into artistic platforms that produce new concepts, applied sciences and worth — and domesticate the expertise who will lead the longer term.”
Cho Dong-sung, chair of the World College Rankings for Innovation (WURI) Basis — a system that evaluates universities primarily based on real-world influence — highlighted that rankings should shift towards a extra dynamic, mechanism-driven and real-time mannequin.
“Conventional rankings are output-based and static, in order that they fail to seize a college’s capability for transformation within the AI period,” he stated.
Cho famous that AI is reshaping each analysis requirements and the elemental function of upper schooling, stressing that universities should construct sustainable working fashions reasonably than counting on authorities funding or short-term monetary help.
As rating methods put together for shifts pushed by digital know-how and AI, consultants say international competitiveness can also be important — particularly as nations intensify efforts to draw high consultants from around the globe.
Phil Baty, chief international affairs officer at Instances Increased Schooling (THE), stated Korean universities proceed to excel in {industry} revenue and patent-related indicators, underscoring their sturdy partnerships with main company R&D.
This benefit, nonetheless, is starting to slim, not as a result of Korea is slowing down, however as a result of different nations are quickly strengthening their very own innovation ecosystems.
“Korea’s dominance in industry-linked funding is now comparatively declining as international rivals shut the hole,” Baty stated.
He warned that Korean universities proceed to face vital hurdles — most notably internationalization.
“Korea nonetheless falls properly beneath international averages in attracting worldwide school and producing internationally co-authored analysis, each of that are key drivers of rankings and international status,” he stated.
Baty stated Korea’s constrained worldwide collaboration is dragging down quotation efficiency and eroding the nation’s place within the international analysis ecosystem. Enrollment of international college students is a relative shiny spot, he added, however features fluctuate extensively by establishment.
Ben Sowter, senior vice chairman of Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), echoed related issues. Whereas noting vital long-term features in tutorial and employer status, he highlighted that demographic decline and intensifying international competitors require Korean universities to redefine their strengths and sharpen their international engagement methods.
“The rising significance of worldwide analysis networks — now a key metric in QS rankings — has change into a selected strain level, with some Korean universities solely not too long ago starting to enhance on this space,” Sowter stated.
