Unveiling the Impact of Overseas Degrees in South Korea and Singapore: Fostering Global Citizens or Global Elites?

• In Event: Mapping students' pathways through and the outcomes of higher education

Proposal

Introduction

Traditionally, international student mobility has involved students from the Global South moving to the Global North due to perceived economic and social disparities between their home countries and more developed nations (Ma & Pan, 2015). However, South Korea and Singapore present unique cases in terms of student mobility and brain competition, which do not entirely fit the Global North and South narrative. These countries have achieved remarkable economic development in the global knowledge economy since gaining independence from colonization. They boast world-renowned national universities and actively participate in the global market system (Kim, 2019). Despite this progress, pursuing higher education abroad remains highly valued for individuals and the nations. Yet, access to overseas degree opportunities remains disproportionately limited for socioeconomically disadvantaged students, perpetuating an elitist process (Lu, 2022; Ye, 2021) rather than fostering the development of global citizens in both countries. This study aims to examine the mechanism of global stratification resulting from unequal access to overseas degrees in South Korea and Singapore. It utilizes a conceptual framework drawing on human capital theory, dependency theory, and cosmopolitanism to understand the roles of nation states and global forces in this context.

Theories and Contexts
Value of overseas degrees: global human capital
South Korea and Singapore have heavily invested in public education and the expansion of higher education as part of their national strategies for economic development (Csizmazia, 2019; Green et al., 1999; Koh, 2012; Ma & Pan, 2015). The emphasis on human capital development in their national rhetoric has played a crucial role in motivating individuals to pursue educational achievements. This strong link between human capital development and education has been further reinforced by the desire to enhance national global competitiveness and produce a global elite in both countries, driven by political, economic, and social goals after gaining independence and overcoming wars (Chang, 1992; Du et al., 2021).
In the final paper, we will delve deeper into the specific strategies used to promote human capital development through national educational initiatives. Notably, both countries aimed to utilize individuals as channels to transfer overseas technology and information, a practice strongly supported and praised by the state and the market (Du et al., 2021). In conclusion, it is essential to investigate government sponsorships and hiring preferences related to foreign degrees as indicators of overseas degrees contributing to the human capital of individuals and the nation as a whole.

The social function of overseas degrees: elitification, resemblance to lumpenbourgeoisie
The social functionality of overseas degrees in South Korea and Singapore can be examined through the lens of dependency theory. Dependency theory delineates the global dynamics between more privileged North countries and underprivileged South countries, often leading to classism in the South (Kubow & Fossum, 2007). Frank (1974) used the term "Lumpenbourgeoisie" to illustrate how the elite class in the peripheral countries perpetuates dependency to maintain their advantages in the global system (as cited in Kubow & Fossum, 2007). Although South Korea and Singapore have established world class national universities and achieved massification of higher education, degrees obtained from the U.S. and U.K are signaled as higher credentials and act as gatekeepers to prestigious career paths (Barr, 2006; Lu, 2022; Netz et al, 2020). Thus, through dependency theory, it is crucial to examine the social functionality of overseas degrees should be interrogated.

The expected role of individuals with overseas degrees: global elites vs. global citizen
When exploring the roles of individuals with overseas degrees in their home societies, cosmopolitanism can provide a conducive framework for explanation. Cosmopolitanism is defined as a "part of a broader mechanism for social and class reproduction, whereby students are depicted as strategically co-opted a corporatist and elitist view of cosmopolitan citizenship" (Cheng, 2018, p. 3). In fact, cosmopolitanism has remained under-researched in non-Western contexts (Son, 2020). Existing studies have revealed that cosmopolitanism is linked to transnational competence and access to overseas degrees, facilitating upward mobility and the development of global elites rather than fostering the growth of global citizens. Based on the addressed points, we developed a conceptual framework to examine the mechanisms of overseas degrees in equity/inequity (see Figure 1).

Inquiry
We conducted a comprehensive review of 54 existing articles written in English that focused on the development of higher education and the pursuit of degree opportunities outside of their home countries in the contexts of South Korea and Singapore. We analyzed the discourse and findings presented in these articles by applying our framework that interrogates (1) values, (2) functions, and (3) expectations associated with overseas degrees. Holding overseas degrees works as gatekeeping elite status in South Korea and Singapore through creating a hierarchy in the degrees gained Global North, which is described as elitification (Lu, 2022; Ye, 2021).

Findings
The study uncovers how values, social functions, and expectations surrounding overseas degrees for South Koreans and Singaporeans are shaped by national policy, the elitification sociopolitical structure, and individual aspirations for social mobility. Both countries prioritize human capital development for global competitiveness, encouraging their talented citizens to pursue overseas degrees, leading to prestigious positions in government and knowledge sectors. However, obtaining degrees from the Global North contributes to a systemic mechanism of elitification, where individuals may not be expected to engage as global citizens challenging global and local inequities. This oversight stems from national interests in global human capital development and entrenched elitification. Consequently, issues of unequal access to overseas degrees and the responsibilities of global citizenship are often neglected. In summary, the study highlights how socioeconomic values, social functions, and expectations regarding overseas degrees are influenced by national policy, the sociopolitical structure of elitification, and individual aspirations for social mobility in South Korea and Singapore.

Contribution (Type A)
The study's conceptual framework examines the process of valuing foreign degrees, particularly from the Global North, providing insights into global inequities perpetuated by national states and higher education institutions. Moreover, the framework addresses the limitations of existing student mobility studies that neglect regional contexts or focus solely on individual countries.

Authors

• Seonmi Jin, Indiana University - Bloomington

• Tien-Ling Hu, Indiana University Bloomington