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The strength behind U.S. global leadership: Independent universities

Published: 27 May. 2025, 00:04

Lee Jae-young

The author is a professor of English literature at Seoul National University.

What accounts for the United States’ enduring global dominance since World War II? Observers often cite its advantageous geography, vast natural resources, unrivaled military strength and the dollar’s status as the global reserve currency. But among these, I believe the most vital source of U.S. competitiveness lies in its innovative universities.

U.S. universities have become global magnets for talent and capital, creating the conditions for continuous innovation. They are not just institutions of higher learning, but arenas where the world’s brightest minds converge and where cutting-edge ideas are born and tested. In this sense, the strength of the United States is deeply entwined with the strength of its universities.

Students, faculty and members of the Harvard University community rally in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 17. [AP/YONHAP]

When I studied in the United States in the early 1990s, I was struck by this ecosystem. Then-Vice President Al Gore introduced a vision for an “information superhighway,” calling on universities to lead the way in preparing for the digital age. The seeds planted in that era blossomed into the global tech giants of today — Google, Amazon and Meta.

That progress was not accidental. It was made possible by political foresight and policy implementation that supported the vision. Society ensured that universities had the autonomy to act, and in turn, the universities built academic ecosystems independent of political interference. They responded to this trust with innovation, helping the nation stay at the forefront of global change.

Even today, top talent from China, India, and elsewhere gravitates toward U.S. campuses to drive breakthroughs in information technology and artificial intelligence. Scientists from Eastern Europe continue to move to the United States, contributing to Nobel Prize-winning research. The foundation for this dynamic is institutional independence.

But this tradition is now under strain.

People attend the National Day of Action for Higher Education rally at Foley Square in New York on 17 April. The organizers oppose conservative politicians withholding funding to influence how institutions run their schools, such as a recent investigation of Harvard University for alleged noncompliance with civil rights law. [EPA/YONHAP]

U.S. universities are facing a serious challenge under the second Donald Trump administration. President Trump has denounced elite schools such as Harvard, Columbia, and Cornell as “hotbeds of the left.” He has attempted to rein in their influence through sweeping actions — cutting federal funding, pressuring universities to abandon diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and interfering in international collaborations.

Even more troubling is the encroachment into faculty hiring and curriculum design. These efforts seek to align university activity with government ideology. As federal research funds shrink and donor pressures mount, even Ivy League institutions are feeling the impact. Some graduate programs have had to rescind admissions offers due to budget shortfalls. Amid rising political pressure and deteriorating research conditions, international students and scholars are returning to their home countries or relocating to Europe.

This erosion of university autonomy could leave a lasting scar on U.S. society. The consequences may not be immediately visible, but five, 10 or twenty years from now, the aftershocks could be profound. President Trump may eventually leave the political stage, but history may remember him as the figure who inflicted irreversible damage on the U.S. higher education system.

What stands out amid these developments is the way U.S. universities are resisting political pressure. Harvard, often symbolic of academic excellence, became a particular target. In response, over 220 university presidents issued a joint statement warning that governmental overreach posed a threat to education. Public opinion largely backed them, reinforcing a broad societal consensus that university autonomy is essential for the country’s future.

This resistance is possible in part because of the financial independence of U.S. universities. As of last year, Harvard’s endowment stood at an estimated $50 billion. Other leading universities manage similarly vast resources. These endowments serve as a financial buffer, helping schools preserve their academic freedom and institutional integrity regardless of political pressure.

The contrast with Korean universities is stark.

Most Korean schools lack any comparable financial foundation. With minimal private endowments and limited public funding, they remain vulnerable to shifts in political power. Each administration brings new policies, and universities are left scrambling to adapt in hopes of securing short-term government support. In such an environment, independence from power or long-term innovation becomes virtually impossible.

The main gate to Seoul National University in Gwanak District, southern Seoul, is seen on May 21, 2024. [NEWS1]

As Korean universities look to the United States, it is bitterly ironic that even the current crisis facing U.S. higher education seems enviable. Despite political interference, U.S. institutions still retain the capacity to resist. In contrast, Korean universities often have little choice but to follow the government’s lead.

Education remains a society’s most powerful tool for shaping the future. Universities nurture the talent that drives national progress. Yet in Korea — a country whose most valuable resource is human capital — universities are undervalued and under-supported. Without serious investment in the independence and vitality of higher education, Korea risks falling behind in an era where knowledge is power.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.