| [KOREATIMES]Multiculture brings changes to college campus | |||||
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| 작성자 | 관리자 | 조회 | 3311 | 등록일 | 2010/07/05 |
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Multiculture brings changes to college campus
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By Park Si-soo Staff reporter Korean universities are no longer just for native Koreans ― more than 75,000 foreign students are taking domestic degree courses. This ethnic diversity on campuses is leading to changes in their structure, admission system and even legal framework. A notable change is the emergence of foreign students' associations. The Catholic University of Daegu recently had a foreign students' association established by a Chinese student majoring in journalism. Nearly 400 non-Korean students from 10 countries ― mostly in Asia ― are registered with it. "Sadly, only a handful of foreign students here get along with Korean students. The language barrier and cultural differences are to blame," said Xen Ju-reung, its founder. "The top priority of our association is boosting interaction with Korean students so that our members can be more familiar with their life in Korea and eventually stay here with a sense of belonging." He said the association's executives plan to launch a campaign to encourage universities in its vicinity to establish similar groups. Seoul National University (SNU), the top university of the nation with more than 1,200 foreign students, has a similar association, SNU International Students Association (SISA), established in 2007. SISA has hosted a variety of sporting events and organizes community services on a regular basis to get closer to their Korean peers and local community. Kyung Hee University with 3,500 foreign students plans to appoint some foreign students as executives of its Korean students' association, which wields great clout in student welfare. "This measure is aimed to ensure complaints from our foreign peers don't go unheeded," said Yoo Seung-hyun, the association head. "This is a step to build a better environment for our new friends." The admission process is also undergoing changes. In March, Seoul National University modified its admission regulations to make it possible for foreigners to enter in September. It was a measure in response to complaints from foreign applicants familiar with September admissions. In Korea, the new school year begins in March. Other universities are expected to follow suit since SNU has virtually served as a "trend-setter" in academia. The government is no exception in creating an environment friendly to foreign students. The Ministry of Justice said Wednesday foreign students on student visas will be able to receive F-2 residence visas if they meet certain criteria, which have yet to be set. "Those staying on a student visa have gone through a cumbersome process to extend their residence period and earn approval to work here. But the F-2 visa requires nothing," an immigration official said, raising expectations to attract more foreign talent to the domestic industry. The ministry favors those taking a doctoral degree course in basic science and high-end technologies. |
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