Incheon National University has cemented its standing as a global campus after posting strong results in a domestic assessment of universities' international competitiveness.
The university scored 94.87 points in the 2027 Internationalization Excellence University Evaluation, placing 19th overall.
The result came despite tougher assessment conditions this year — the number of universities evaluated expanded from 54 to 60, and a new indicator measuring the proportion of full-time foreign faculty was introduced. Incheon National University still climbed four spots from its previous ranking of 23rd.
In the student support category, the university earned 23.69 out of a possible 40 points, ranking 4th among all 60 universities evaluated — a leap of 30 places from 34th last year, when it scored 14.13 points.
In subcategories, the dormitory accommodation rate for international students reached 51.46 percent, good for 3rd nationwide. The university also ranked highly in donations per enrolled student — 1.81 million won ($1,330), placing 6th — and in the ratio of scholarships to tuition fees, at 74.84 percent, placing 9th.
In the education category, the university received high marks for the national diversity of its international student body, ranking 5th, and for the proportion of international students with sufficient proficiency in Korean or English, at 84.76 percent, placing 6th.
In research, the university ranked 2nd overall in the category, driven by strong showings in the share of foreign research funding as a proportion of total research expenditure — 0.73 percent, placing 5th — and in the rate of internationally co-authored papers, at 35.96 percent, placing 14th.
The results carry added significance as the number of international students in South Korea has surpassed 300,000 — reaching 307,464 according to the 2026 Basic Education Statistics — making universities' capacity to support the settlement and academic needs of foreign students an increasingly central concern. Incheon National University's performance demonstrates the strength of its systems for attracting and managing international students.
"These results reflect the fruition of our systematic support measures for international students, our diversified academic infrastructure, and our global research capabilities," university President Lee In-jae said. "We will continue to advance our internationalization foundation so that international students can focus on their studies in a stable environment."
gilbert@heraldcorp.com
