News
Busan is Good for international students
International students of Pukyong National University in Hanbok.
Busan is implementing the Study Busan 30k Project to become a global education hub. The project aims to recruit international students to study, work and settle in the city.
The plan includes increasing the number of international students from the current level of 13,000 to 30,000 by 2028.
Furthermore, the proportion of international students in science and engineering will increase from 12% to 30%. Finally, officials will increase the employment and job-seeking visa conversion rate of international students from the current 22% to 40%.
These moves should bolster the workforce of local industries, which has suffered amid the nationwide population crisis.
Busan is working with local governments, universities and industries to attract, educate, employ and settle international students.
First, Busan and related organizations are creating an "international student attraction network" to recruit students from various majors and countries. This step will utilize Busan City Overseas Trade Offices in Los Angeles; Shanghai; Osaka, Japan; Qingdao, China; and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In addition, Korean Education Centers worldwide will help recruit people via the newly established International Student Attraction Center.
The second step is to attract the talent needed for local industries. To do so, Busan will hold study-abroad information sessions in nations like Japan and Vietnam and participate in international student fairs. Furthermore, the city will offer the Global Busan Scholarship to six outstanding individuals, supporting airfare and living expenses up to 4 million won per person.
Third, Busan will help students settle in the city through the Busan International Student Support Center operated by the Busan Global City Foundation. The center will provide academic, career and practical resources to ensure students adjust well to life in the city.
Finally, the initiative will help international students who graduate from local universities enter the job market. Through career counseling and skills training, the city will guide students to work in shipbuilding and marine equipment, the region's major industries. This also includes petitioning the central government to establish a new visa system to encourage international students to settle in neighborhoods with declining populations.
Vocab Spotlight
proportion: 비율
bolster: 강화하다
petitioning: 청원