It appears that most professors and staff at Gyeongsang National University (GNU) approve of integrating with CWNU and other national universities within the province. The Faculty Council of GNU reported that 423 professors (93.4%) and 166 staff members (84.3%) agreed when asked if they should integrate with other universities. 418 professors (92.3%) and 144 staff members (73.1%) approved of integration with CWNU. 349 professors (77%) and 151 staff members (76.6%) went along with integration with the Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology (GNUST). 368 professors (81.2%) and 145 staff members (73.6%) agreed with grand integration combining the three universities.

The chairman and vice-chairman of the faculty councils in the three universities agreed to integrate the national universities at a meeting last July. They decided to gather the opinions of members at each university, select an integration method, choose the name of the university, and the headquarter location. However, there is no way of knowing whether integration will succeed because when CWNU proposed integration with GNU in 2004, there were different views and the proposal foundered.

The faculty councils at CWNU and GNUST plan to carry out a survey within the month that asks about the pros and cons of integration. Members of CWNU and GNUST will promote university integration at the faculty council level if approval rating is high. The chairman and vice-chairman of the faculty councils of each university are determined to push ahead with integration regardless of the current president’s term.

An Seong-Jin, chairman of the Faculty Council at GNU, said, “The approval rating for integration is high, but we are not ready to discuss integration in earnest yet because we have lots of procedures to go through. We should allow a little time to integrate.”

About this survey, “No one knows which mismatch occurs in the process of integration with other universities that have different histories and traditions. Trying nothing could be a problem, but there is doubt that the universities will have beneficial effects by playing a dangerous game, integration. I agree if the best thing we can obtain by integration is an education. However, I don’t think that the universities are aiming at an education. They just seem to do it for economic benefits.” said a student at CWNU.

The faculty councils at the three universities announced an agreement to promote integration of the three national universities in Gyeongnam’ last August 1. There are many reasons behind the university integration. First, there are so many universities that attracting students is extremely competitive. If a university can’t attract many students, operating costs will prevent students from getting a good education. Second, the government is reducing enrollment quotas and the number of universities. This means that a university that can’t compete will not survive. CWNU can choose to survive independently or by integrating with other universities. Both ways provide a double-edged sword with strengths and weaknesses. Whatever direction CWNU chooses will require deep thinking about which option is best.

Seong Jaeho  -

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