Winds of change sweep universities and student life

The Korea Herald/ANN 14 August 2015

Once, university students were the driving force behind social change, and universities were the epicentre of democracy movements but these days students are more concerned about their so-called "specs" – or specifications, like qualifications and certificates deemed desirable by potential employers – than social issues, writes Choi He-suk for The Korea Herald/ANN.

"Back in my day, we were almost required to take part in demonstrations. I think we cared about the country more than today's kids," said Park, who attended a university in Seoul in the mid-1980s and declined to be identified further. "Today's kids seem to care only about getting a job after graduation. We had the same worries, but still we did more than just look out for ourselves. Universities seem to have lost the romance, and turned into vocational schools."

While older generations may have varying degrees of disdain for university students now, "today's kids" also have much to say. One recent graduate says there is no romance in university life, saying that she and all of her friends spent their vacations doing internships and getting certificates to prepare for the tough labour market.
Full report on the AsiaOne site

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