There are few things to what I can say 'absolutely no' and this is one of them even without thinking twice. Institutions in my country have been cited TWO times in this SHORT article described on the issue. What a pleasant surprise it is!
I actually wrote about this a few months ago privately, and now Ms.Suh's mention made me speak more publicly if I can say so. I'm totally oppose that making it mandatory something that universities increase English classes in their curriculum and college students must take them for the degrees.
I don't want to enumerate here how important language is from the fact that it makes us distinguish from other animals on earth. We already use it, everyday. It controls the way we think. I would not be of course a Frenchwoman as I speak French. But I am not Korean either as long as I speak and think in other languages. Language is culture, idea, and it's just about everything.
This is why so many Americans - and me, I admit- become helpless as hearing British English accent. This is again why British English tend to use '-re' in place of '-er' as in American English. This also explains why Japan so tormented us to use its tongue during the colonial era. This is why King Sejong put his every effort to achieve certain level on our mother tongue in every possible field of academic after he created it.
Colleges and universities play a critical role in the society as higher educational system. We lose more than earn if those are not functioning as what we expected to. And I would like to believe they know what is the first priority. Why would they take the responsibility for students' abilities of speaking English? Since when they are so obligated for their students? Teaching English is none of their business. If English is that necessary, having students take English exam is good enough just as they generally do for college entrance exams.
I hope they do realize what is the right thing to do. It's not a problem of 'having less efficiency or effectiveness of knowledge transfer' nor reality of 'seeing the benefits eventually'.
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