Ⅰ. Research Needs and Objectives
With the advent of a new era of low fertility, population aging, and knowledge, Korea has supported universities with human and material education infrastructure to shift their focus from a school-age students-based system to an adult-friendly education system to effectively react to socio-economic changes such as the rise in demand for new types of educational services. Against this backdrop, this paper aims to seek ways to enable universities to reinforce their function to nurture talented adult women and thereby to more actively contribute to the cultivation of such women, based on Lifelong Education Centers, Lifelong Learning universities, Career Development Centers for College Women, the Center for Women in Science, Engineering, and Technology, Re-employment Support Centers for Women, and so forth.
Ⅱ. Fact-Finding
For this research study, we conducted a survey on lifelong education administrators' awareness of needs and conditions for and constraints on college-based education for adult women. 261 out of the population of 462 successfully responded to this survey that used 2015 data, posting a response rate of 56.5%.
1. Project Team Operation and Women's Participation
How project teams surveyed operated courses for adult learners in 2015 was studied and analyzed for this research. According to the results, 82.0%, 27.2%, and 40.2% of the teams operated non-degree, degree, and credit courses, respectively. The percentage of women in students newly enrolled in degree programs in 2015 was also examined. The share of women in Lifelong Learning universities, College-Affiliated Lifelong Education Centers, stood at 55.4%, 75.1%.
The reasons for the lower share of women in degree courses were asked of the survey participants. 43.7% replied that the percentage of programs preferred by men was high while 16.9% answered that it was difficult for women to attend programs during the education service hours. 14.1% chose lack of women who meet admission requirements as the main reason for the issue.
2. Difficulties in Operating Lifelong Education for Adults
“The recruitment of adult students” (61.7%) was cited as the most signifiant difficulty that universities encounter in the process of operating lifelong education projects. It was followed by “the faculty’s and students’ lack of understanding of adult learners” (38.3%), “inflexible educational operation” (32.5%), “adult learners’ lack of academic capability and their unfaithful attitude” (22.3%), “employers’ lack of cooperation” (18.0%), and “adult education administrators’ lack of expertise” (8.5%). Degree program operators had more prejudice against and assumed a more critical attitude towards adult learners. The largest percentage (30.3%) of Lifelong Learning universities operating degree courses for the employed cited “employers’ lack of cooperation” as the biggest difficulty.
Survey participants were also asked about the biggest difficulties facing adult learners. Housework (child care and learning-work-life balancing) was chosen by 60.5% of the respondents, followed by “inconvenience in education service hours” (17.6%), “school expenses” (12.3%), and “lack of academic capability, self-confidence, and enthusiasm” (9.2%).
3. Universities’ Support for Lifelong Education for Adults
Universities’ support for adult learners was also surveyed. The largest percentage (76.2%) of universities replied that they have made efforts to improve nighttime education, weekend education, online classes, and off-site education. It was followed by “counseling services for adult learners” (admission, school expenses, and child care) (50.2%), “support in tuition fees and scholarships” (43.7%), “revisions to school rules and regulations” (33.3%), “support in admission process” (29.1%), “supplementary education services” (support in overcoming learning vacuum) (16.9%), and “child care services” (5.4%).
Moreover, survey participants were asked about what institutional support universities should offer to promote lifelong education for adult women. According to the results, the following support services are deemed to be required: “support in education time scheduling” (75.1%), “counseling services for adult women” (65.5%), “child care services” (55.6%), “support in school expenses” (55.5%), “improvement in the faculty and school personnel’s awareness of gender equality” (47.2%), and “extra consideration for women in admission process” (admission requirements) (39.4%).
4. Gender-Sensitive Operation of Project Teams
Universities’ administrators in charge of lifelong education for adults were asked to evaluate the gender sensitivity (the degree to which women are considered) of each project team. Only 22.9% positively (mostly agree or fully agree) responded to the item, “Services (scholarships, child care, lounges, counseling, etc.) for adult women are effectively offered.” About 60% of the project teams are deemed to make efforts to attract adult women, to reflect women’s needs in their programs, and to consider women in education time scheduling.
5. Support for the Employment of Adult Learners
About 49.1% of the whole respondents numbering 261 positively (mostly agree or fully agree) responded to the question, “Should lifelong education project teams in universities support adult learners to be employed?” Whether each team supports adult learners to land a job was also studied and analyzed. According to the results, Lifelong Learning universities (72.7%) and Project Teams for Women Policy (69.6%) very actively engaged in supporting adult learners to be employed while College-Affiliated Lifelong Education Centers (29.8%) were less actively involved in such activities. Project teams supported adult learners to find employment via the following means: “cooperation with external institutions” (55.4%), “cooperation with lecturers” (51.5%), and “collaboration with other organizations in universities (46.5%). Only 19.8% of project teams used employment service providers for adult learners. Cooperating with institutions and organizations in and out of universities, they were found to rely on Employment and Startup Support Centers (64.1%) in universities, Employment Service Centers (43.6%) operated by local governments, Re-employment Support Centers for Women (30.8%), Employment and Welfare Plus Centers (29.5%), and Career Development Centers for College Women (6.4%).
Ⅲ. Policy Issues
Some of the school-age female students-based universities have opened their doors to adult women, especially the employed, who need educational services. universities are expected to be more widely open to women of different ages and backgrounds in the future. In the process, to whom and how they should be opened should be discussed further. To this end, this paper has presented the following policy issues:
- Expand opportunities for adult women to receive college education services.
- Offer adult women-friendly services.
- Expand opportunities to take part in student activities.
- Strengthen support for the employment of adult women.
- Reinforce the functions of project teams for women policy.
- Improve the gender sensitivity of project teams.