Introduction of the ‘RISE’ and the current status, problems, and alternatives of higher education in Gwangju city

If higher education jurisdiction is partially delegated/transferred to local governments according to the Regional Innovation System and Education (RISE), which is scheduled to be introduced in 2025, Korea's higher education system will experience structural changes. The core content of structural change is the dualization of guidance/supervision authority for higher education institutions. The central government and local governments jointly govern higher education. The purpose of this paper is to discuss win-win cooperation measures between Gwangju City and universities in response to the ‘RISE’. To achieve the purpose of this paper, three topics were intensively discussed based on literature analysis. First, in order to understand the relationship between local governments and universities, the relationship between the two was identified and the meaning of win-win cooperation was critically discussed. Second, in order to understand the current status of higher education in Gwangju city, the reality of higher education in Gwangju was analyzed at the national/regional level, focusing on key indicators. Third, in the problems and alternatives of Gwangju higher education, key problems were pointed out and alternatives were presented based on the four factors that make up the higher education system (purpose structure, governance structure, financial structure, and performance management). In the conclusion, it was emphasized that public value should be emphasized in the direction of innovation in the higher education system at the national/regional level and a special change in perception in local governments' understanding of universities was emphasized.