According to the survey results conducted by the Korean Council for University Education (KCUE), university presidents are concerned about securing funding and the policy sustainability of the “Region Innovation-centered University Support System (RISE)” project amid the government’s transitional phase.
The survey, conducted from April 30 to May 27, involved 191 member university presidents, with a response rate of 77% (147 universities). The RISE project, initiated by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, reallocates part of university support budgets (approximately 2 trillion won) to local regions to foster joint growth between local governments and regional universities.
The primary concern voiced by university presidents was the stable procurement of RISE project funds, which scored 85 points. Concerns about the policy’s sustainability followed, scoring 77 points. Other concerns included the commitment of local governments (73 points) and the potential weakening of university identity (47 points). KCUE attributes these uncertainties to the government’s transitional period and the pre-election survey timeline, which reflects the uncertainties ahead of the election.
For the successful implementation of the RISE project, differentiation strategies based on regional university characteristics ranked highest with 198 points. Balanced allocation of project budgets between local governments and the Ministry of Education followed with 146 points. KCUE noted the concentration of budget decision-making authority with local governments and highlighted the need for power adjustments from the Ministry of Education.
In terms of expected outcomes from the RISE project, universities anticipate increased collaboration between academia, industry, and research (4 points), nurturing local talent (3.69 points), and achieving long-term development plans (3.65 points). From a local government perspective, resolving regional issues scored highest at 3.66 points, followed by industrial development (3.56 points) and retaining local talent (3.44 points).
When asked about top priorities for the Ministry of Education in supporting the successful operation of the RISE project, 110 universities emphasized the need for stable budget procurement. This was followed by the establishment of operational guidelines that ensure university autonomy (106 schools), improvement of regulations related to academia-industry-research collaboration (51 schools), and academic regulations (37 schools).
Similarly, when asked what local governments should prioritize, stable financial support plans were the top concern, followed by improving communication systems between local governments and universities and enhancing the higher education expertise of regional centers.
KCUE concluded that securing stable funding emerged as the most critical issue in both concerns regarding the RISE project and priorities for Ministry of Education support, highlighting its importance.