Page 56 - EW-June-2024

International News

leaders have attempted to highlight the potential economic
damage cuts would do to the whole economy, not just uni-
versities.
Michael Spence, the president of UCL, says the govern-
ment’s own analysis has shown the visa is “set to bring in
£12.9 billion of additional tax revenue compared to £6.8
billion of extra fiscal costs between 2021-22 and 2030-31”.
“If we want to grow the economy and encourage global
leadership and innovation, we need to continue to attract
the brightest and best,” Dr. Spence told Times Higher Ed-
ucation, adding that it would be an “act of extraordinary
national self-harm to curb the graduate route”.

SOUTH KOREA
Capacity expansion impasse President Yoon Suk-yeol: resounding defeat

ON THE FACE OF IT, THE PLAN BY SOUTH
Korea’s president Yoon Suk-yeol to increase the size of medical schools has been kept small mainly because
number of doctors being trained at the country’s politically influential doctors have been staunch opponents
medical schools sounded like a winning way to get the pub- of any capacity increase,” says Dr. Son. “They wouldn’t hesi-
lic onside ahead of a parliamentary election. tate to make a political scene, such as staging protests and
In reality, by joining the long line of politicians who strikes, to make their voices heard. And that’s been proven
have tried to change the status quo surrounding medical effective.”
admissions, Yoon further turned the public against him, Now, in the wake of a resounding defeat for his party,
contributing to the resounding defeat his party, the People Yoon looks set to become a lame duck president, unable to
Power Party, suffered in the recent election (April) to retain advance significant reforms in the final three years of his
control of parliament. In South Korea, it seems, attempts to five-year term. That is likely to include the medical school
reform medical education are doomed to fail. reforms, leaving the sector untouchable. “A likely path go-
The government’s plan to increase capacity by 2,000, ing forward would be for the embattled government to give
announced in February, resulted in 12,000 junior doctors in and the situation returning to the status quo,” says Dr.
walking out for over six weeks, senior doctors threatening Son.
to resign en masse and a burgeoning medical crisis as the
public suddenly found themselves unable to access health- GREECE
care. The president’s plan backfired. Private varsities green light
“Ordinary people, who wouldn’t otherwise be interest-
ed in policy matters, simply experienced first-hand con- LEGISLATION ENABLING PRIVATE universities
sequences of the strike,” says Byunghwan Son, director of to operate in Greece will deliver “significantly posi-
Asia-Pacific and north-east Asian studies at George Mason tive results” and limit the flow of Greek students to
University. “Surgeries got cancelled. Treatments were de- overseas institutions, says the country’s education minister.
layed.” Kyriakos Pierrakakis told Times Higher Education that
With one of the lowest doctor-patient ratios among de- the education law, which was passed in March amid mass
veloped countries, a rapidly ageing population requiring student protests, would facilitate the “opening up of the
greater medical attention and only 3,058 students admitted Greek university system”.
into the country’s medical schools each year, reforms are The legislation allows private institutions that meet cer-
sorely needed in South Korea and are generally supported tain criteria to issue degrees equivalent to those of public
by the public. The medical profession is also popular, with universities. International institutions, meanwhile, will be
admission applications far outnumbering available seats. able to open branches in Greece, charging tuition fees while
But attempts to reform medical school quotas have maintaining non-profit status.
caused headaches for a succession of Korean leaders, with Private universities have long been a contentious subject
doctors vehemently opposed to any increase. They argue in Greece. Article 16 of the country’s Constitution holds that
that the government needs to improve their working condi- “art and science, research and teaching shall be free”, while
tions and pay before increasing numbers. Critics say doc- “the establishment of university-level institutions by private
tors are trying to avoid competition within the profession. persons is prohibited”. When the recent law was first tabled
Either way, the Korean Medical Association — the or- in parliament, opposition MPs across five parties submitted
ganisation behind the strikes — is a powerful force. “The objections regarding its constitutionality.

56 EDUCATIONWORLD JUNE 2024