On the eve of a new academic era, South Korea’s higher education sector is making headlines with sweeping changes, accolades, and renewed focus on student well-being. As universities gear up for the 2026 academic year, a blend of rigorous recruitment reforms, national recognition for academic excellence, and robust support for student mental health is shaping the future of learning and teaching across the country.
At the center of this transformation is Sungkyunkwan University, a prestigious institution renowned for its tradition and innovation. According to official announcements published on September 3, 2025, the university is set to recruit 2,410 teaching staff for the 2026 academic year, representing a substantial 58.2% of its total intake as full-time regular employees. The breakdown reveals a diverse composition: 1,502 student affairs staff (36.3%), 416 school affairs staff (10%), 386 research service staff (9.3%), and 106 practical or field staff (2.6%).
This recruitment drive is not a one-size-fits-all affair. Instead, Sungkyunkwan University has created a nuanced system that categorizes teaching staff into several employment types: permanent (315), contract (406), full-time temporary (236), adjunct (155), and special contract (366). Selection for permanent, contract, and special contract positions is based entirely on performance evaluation scores, while the overall process for permanent teaching positions combines both performance and field evaluations, ensuring a comprehensive assessment of candidates. The second stage of selection carries significant weight, with 70% attributed to performance evaluation and 30% to field evaluation. It’s a process designed to be transparent and merit-based, reflecting the university’s commitment to excellence.
Student affairs and school affairs are now managed under a new evaluation system that focuses exclusively on performance. Here, 100% of the selection is determined by performance evaluation, a move that aims to streamline the process and reward merit. Research service regular employees, meanwhile, are evaluated based on their field performance, ensuring that practical expertise is recognized and valued. Notably, the highest performance evaluation scores have been recorded in the categories of national, private, and public universities and technical colleges, with three public and seven private universities achieving scores of six or more in recent evaluations.
But the story doesn’t end with recruitment. Sungkyunkwan University is also making waves in the realm of academic resources and information sharing. As reported by Korean Education Policy Research Institute (KERIS), the university’s Academic Information Center was recently named a ‘Best Institution’ in the 2025 National University Education Policy Information Disclosure and Utilization Guide. This prestigious recognition, officially announced on September 4, 2025, highlights the university’s leadership in academic resource sharing and its pivotal role in the national academic information ecosystem.
The selection was based on a rigorous evaluation of three key areas: the construction of a comprehensive catalog, the effectiveness of interlibrary loan services, and the activation of full-text distribution. Sungkyunkwan University’s Academic Information Center, under the stewardship of Director Choi Hyung-ki, has built an impressive collection of approximately 2.3 million volumes and has actively promoted collaboration with other universities and institutions. This has positioned the university as a central player in the joint utilization of academic resources nationwide.
The award ceremony, held at Yonsei University’s Baekyangnuri on August 27, 2025, saw Sungkyunkwan University receive the ‘Comprehensive Evaluation Best Institution’ award from the head of KERIS. Director Choi expressed pride in this achievement, stating, “This award is the result of the dedication and cooperation of all members of the Academic Information Center. We will continue to enhance openness and accessibility of academic information, fulfilling our role as a core institution supporting education and research.”
KERIS, in partnership with the National Education Research Information Service (RISS), has developed the guide to promote transparency and the effective use of education policy research data from national universities. Released at the same event, the guide is set to become an essential tool for universities in policy development and research activities, reflecting the outcomes of comprehensive cooperation among national university research institutes.
While the focus on academic excellence and transparency is clear, South Korea’s education sector is also paying close attention to the emotional and psychological well-being of its students. On September 4, 2025, the Jeju Provincial Office of Education hosted a landmark briefing session at the Jeju Convergence Science Research Institute, targeting around 340 school administrators and life-respect officers from elementary, middle, high, and special schools. The session, as reported by Jemin News, was designed to enhance suicide prevention and foster a culture of life respect within the school community.
The event featured a keynote lecture by Professor Lee Dong-hoon of Sungkyunkwan University, who addressed the pressing question: “Why do children engage in self-harm and suicide?” His talk delved into the complexities of student self-harm and suicidal behavior, offering insights into understanding, counseling, and effective intervention. Professor Lee emphasized the importance of recognizing warning signs, understanding the difference between suicidal and non-suicidal self-injury, and the role of teachers and the school environment in providing support. He also shared the latest mental health support strategies and alternative intervention methods aimed at reducing self-harm among students.
An official from the Jeju Provincial Office of Education commented, “This training is an opportunity to understand students in emotional crisis and share important considerations for counseling intervention. We hope that school administrators and life-respect officers will support students in emotional distress and spread a culture of life respect, so that students can continue to enjoy a happy school life.”
The session also addressed the unique challenges teachers face in balancing their professional duties with responsibilities related to birth and child-rearing. By providing detailed information on teacher duties, birth-related support policies, and the application process, the briefing aimed to support teachers in managing both work and family life—a recognition of the multifaceted roles educators play in today’s society.
As South Korea’s universities and schools embrace these changes—from recruitment reform and academic resource sharing to student mental health initiatives—the message is clear: the future of education lies in a holistic approach that values excellence, transparency, and the well-being of every individual in the academic community. It’s a vision that’s already taking root, promising a brighter, more inclusive, and more supportive environment for students and educators alike.
