South Korea is widely recognised as a major source of international students, especially in the major anglophone destinations. The pursuit of English-medium instruction (EMI) strongly motivates these students because English proficiency is often deemed ¡°cosmopolitan capital¡± in South Korea, essential for career advancement.

Concurrently, South Korea is becoming a strong competitor in the global higher education market, striving to attract more international students and elevate its academic prestige. A key facet of this endeavour, dating back to the early 2000s, involves developing its own domestic EMI offerings, and the country now hopes that a further vast expansion will allow it to enrol 300,000 international students by 2027.

Even a decade or more ago, about 30 per cent of university classes in Seoul and 10 per cent nationwide were reportedly taught in English: a trend driven by leading private institutions in the capital focused on global rankings, and also enthusiastically taken up by the prominent STEM-focused universities, KAIST, POSTECH and UNIST. And according to a 2022 Korea Educational Development Institute report, 882 out of 9,843 university departments (about 9 per cent) already offered EMI.

South Korea¡¯s commitment to ¡°internationalisation at home¡± is evident in policy incentives and funding measures that are designed to foster a supportive environment for international students. Under the Study Korea 300K Project, for instance, many universities aim to teach more than half of their courses in English by 2030.

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For international students, EMI courses in non-English-speaking contexts like South Korea present an appealing alternative to conventional anglophone destinations?because of?their high quality but considerably lower tuition fees and costs of living compared with the ¡°Big Four¡± countries. Institutions also benefit from more diverse student bodies, higher global rankings (which typically give credit for high proportions of international students) and increased revenues from a broader and, therefore, more secure range of sources. Domestic students, in turn, can improve their English fluency and experience multicultural learning environments.

However, incorporating English more deeply into South Korean universities is not entirely unproblematic, with empirical studies reporting varied outcomes. Some indicate that domestic students appreciate EMI¡¯s potential for advancing language skills and academic performance, but others emphasise challenges, including anxiety among Korean students about their English language abilities and a less inclusive atmosphere on campus as a result of disparities in Korean students¡¯ English proficiency. Faculty members¡¯ own sometimes limited proficiency in English could also undermine their effectiveness as teachers.

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In response, some South Korean institutions have adjusted their policies. In 2022, Seoul¡¯s Sungkyunkwan University eliminated its mandatory EMI credit requirement and ended a rule obliging newly hired faculty to teach in English. And Korea University has adopted a quality-over-quantity philosophy by curating a ¡°selected collection¡± of just 100 EMI courses, aiming to enhance student outcomes and faculty support, rather than simply maximising EMI course numbers.

Nevertheless, other institutions are pushing their English-language teaching further by developing entire ¡°English-taught programmes¡± (ETPs) ¨C often referred to locally as ¡°English-track¡± programmes. These use English not just for teaching but for tutorials, reading lists, co-curricular activities and even, in many cases, student services. This represents a departure from earlier models, which combined EMI and Korean-language instruction in the same programme, with the aim of attracting students from English-speaking regions, as well as others worldwide that prioritise English-based learning. These were pioneered by major Seoul institutions in fields such as international studies and business, but regional universities have followed suit to combat enrolment challenges.

But as South Korea integrates EMI more deeply into its higher education system and accelerates the establishment of ETPs, quality and inclusivity must remain paramount. Universities need to invest in faculty development, expand academic support for students and ensure that domestic students who lack strong English skills are not left behind.

Moreover, maintaining a balance between internationalisation and the integrity of Korean-language scholarship is vital. In the early days of EMI expansion, some professors were even asked to teach Korean history and literature entirely in English, sparking concern over how best to convey culturally rich content in a secondary language.

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A related question is whether international students who initially enrol based on their Korean language proficiency will feel marginalised by an institutional pivot toward EMI or ETP. Contrariwise, universities offering ETPs must ensure that essential components, such as academic advising, career services and extracurricular activities, are provided in English, lest they inadvertently compromise international students¡¯ holistic English-language experience.

But none of this is cheap, and universities must consider whether these initiatives can be financially self-sustaining. As well as developing new resources, expanding English-based offerings typically entails increased spending on hiring competent faculty ¨C or training local faculty in English-language instruction.

Another question is what effect the growth of EMI and ETP in non-anglophone countries will have on universities in English-speaking nations. While there is a risk that they might lose student market share, the growth of EMI also opens avenues for collaboration. Anglophone institutions can engage in joint degrees, reciprocal research projects and expanded exchange programmes with their counterparts in South Korea and elsewhere.

Nevertheless, strategic reorientation remains essential for English-speaking universities to retain their edge. Enhanced marketing campaigns, targeted recruitment and robust student support are indispensable for upholding the quality and appeal of their programmes.

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While many non-anglophone institutions claim to provide comparable academic experiences in English, maintaining rigorous standards and strong reputations can help established anglophone destinations maintain their market advantage.

(email ks.kyuseok.kim@gmail.com) is a PhD candidate at Korea University and centre director at IES Seoul.

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