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- Vol. 22 | (2)
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4. FROM CAMPUS TO EMPLOYMENT INTENTIONS.pdf
- MANUSCRIPT TITLE
- From Campus to Employment Intentions: A Mixed-Methods Study on Educational Experiences and Settlement Plans of International Graduate Students in Korea’s BK 21 Programs
- KEYWORDS
- BK21 Project, international graduate student, internationalization, higher education, educational experience, South Korea
- PUBLICATION DATE
https://doi.org/10.22804/kjep.2025.22.2.004
Open Access
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which permits non-commercial use and distribution of the work, provided that the original work is properly cited and no modifications or derivative works are made.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
ⓒKorean Educational Development Institute (KEDI)
Abstract
This study explores international graduate students’ educational experiences, employment intentions, and settlement plans in South Korea’s BK21-funded programs. Using survey data (N = 1,726) and interviews with 6 professors and 6 students, the research examines the backgrounds, educational experiences, and post-graduation intentions of BK21 international students. The findings show that BK21 international students are largely from Asian countries, particularly China and Vietnam, and choose Korea for generous scholarships, advanced research infrastructure, and opportunities to publish in English. While students report satisfaction with academic supervision, research facilities, and financial support, they experience significant challenges such as limited Korean proficiency, inconsistent English-medium courses, and a lack of practical career preparation, which diminish their overall educational satisfaction. These linguistic and institutional barriers strongly shape students’ employment and settlement decisions: only 43% intend to work in Korea, and 27% plan permanent settlement. To enhance international students’ long-term engagement, the study recommends tailored Korean language and cultural adaptation programs, expanded career and internship opportunities,
and more coherent institutional linkages between education and employment. These measures would strengthen Korea’s capacity to attract and retain global research talent through the BK21 initiative.