It was found that the qualitative performance of research conducted by Pusan National University (PNU) was only 60% of universities in the metropolitan area. If a high-quality paper is written through research activities, the infrastructure, and human and material resources necessary for research are covered, which should lead to high-quality research, but the cycle is broken.

According to the data analyzed by the PNU Office of Research Affairs on January 31st, the annual citation of PNU papers listed in major academic DBs is only 60% compared to the top 4 universities in the metropolitan area (Korea University, Seoul National University, Sungkyunkwan University, and Yonsei University). Thesis citation is an index that shows how much other scholars have cited one's research results, and the higher the number, the higher the level of academic achievement, so the power analysis and competitiveness of the entire university can be evaluated.

In particular, the annual average number of citations for the past four years (2018 to 2021) of SCIE-level papers was 3.82. It was only 69% compared to four universities in the metropolitan area with 5.5 times on average (Sungkyunkwan University 5.16 times, Yonsei University 5.16 times, Seoul National University 5.54 times, and Korea University 5.89 times). Even compared to Kyungpook National University (4.38 times), it is 13% lower. Even when comparing other major academic DBs, prior SCI (based on before SCIE integration) and SCOPUS ranked 6th, lower than the four universities in the metropolitan area and Kyungpook National University (KNU). The papers listed in KCI were higher than KNU but lower than all four universities in the metro area.

The lack of “Research Infrastructure” is cited as the cause of the qualitative decline in these research achievements. The number of submitted papers differs significantly from other universities, but the number of those who devote their time to write papers and research funds are insufficient. In fact, over the past three years, the annual average number of documents written per full-time faculty member at PNU was 1.26, including domestic and international academic journals and published books. There was no significant point of difference between KNU (1.24), Korea University (1.29), Seoul National University (1.46), Sungkyunkwan University (1.38), and Yonsei University (1.31).

However, the difference in research funding is clear. From 2018 to 2020, PNU’s average annual research expenses paid per full-time professor was KRW 102.02 million. On the other hand, the four universities in the metropolitan area are Korea University (226.83 million won), Seoul National University (237.3 million won), Sungkyunkwan University (226.11 million won), and Yonsei University (220.52 million won), which are all twice PNU’s research funds. This means that PNU is writing twice as many papers as four universities in the metropolitan area with the same research funding. KNU also received more research funds than PNU at 105.16 million won. During the same period the number of papers submitted by PNU per 100 million won in research funds reached 207% of the four universities in the metropolitan area.

Professors also believe that the continuity of research could worsen because they cannot agree with graduate students for a long time. It is said that students leave PNU because they want to go to graduate school at a “better” university than where they got their undergraduate degree. Professor A said, “After completing the master’s degree, they go to Seoul, and for the doctoral degree, students from other universities in Busan come in.” Student B (Graduate school, Dept. of Business Administration) confessed, “The academic background is important in graduate school, so I think going to Seoul is a more important consideration than what I will focus my studies on.”

The number of graduate students per full-time faculty at PNU is similar to that of the four universities in the metropolitan area. Still, the number of students in the combined master’s and doctoral degree programs is only 18% of the average of the universities in question. Yoo In-Kwon (Director, PNU Office of Research Affairs) explained, “There are especially few students in the combined masters and doctoral degree programs at PNU. This can be understood as meaning that everyone wants to go to the metropolitan area soon, and no students want to study here for a long time.”

There was also a problem that the papers submitted by PNU were concentrated in domestic academic journals. From 2018 to 2020, the percentage of academic papers submitted to international journals at PNU was 48.2%, at most half, but KNU (56.1%) exceeded this. The four universities in the metropolitan area had an average of over 70%: Korea University (68.5%), Seoul National University (72.5%), Sungkyunkwan University (74.6%), and Yonsei University (72.2%). This can mean that papers must be more competitive to be listed in overseas journals, except for specific fields only used in Korea, such as Korean literature and Korean music.

As the qualitative decline in performance of research and infrastructure collapse become visible, professors are carrying out a “Job Exodus.” According to the Academic Affairs, PNU has hired 357 professors over the past five years, but 48 have left for other universities, recording an average annual turnover rate of 13.4%. The number of professors hired and transferred is 50 and 9 in 2018, 87 and 13 in 2019, 72 and 5 in 2020, 70 and 11 in 2021, and 78 and 10 in 2022, with an annual average of 9.6 professors who changed jobs. This year (as of March 1st), it was revealed that five professors had already left their jobs. As professor B said, “I feel defeated when other professors leave.  I actually hesitate when somewhere else offers a job.

The decline in PNU’s performance of research has already been shown in several world university rankings. The “QS World University Rankings,” the most representative index among the top three world university rankings, has fallen from 401-450 to 601-650 in ten years since 2012 (released by Channel PNU on March 23rd, 2023) “THE University Rankings” also fell from 601 to 800 in 2019 and further dropped to 1,001 to 1,200 this year. According to the “THE university” rankings, PNU’s thesis citation rate was less than half of the average of Korea’s upper-middle-ranking universities (1st to 18th).

Reporter Jun Hyung-Seo

Translated by Choi Ye-Won