Stony Brook University Faculty of Sciences and Humanities

[Hankyung Essay] Education that Balances Happiness and Competitiveness

Two weeks ago, there was a closing ceremony for the Global Citizenship University, a collaboration between the State University of New York (SUNY) in Korea and the Incheon Lifelong Education Center. The participants ranged from their 20s to their 70s. Their level of knowledge was high, and their enthusiasm was remarkable, as they asked questions and engaged in discussions based on actual university-level content during class. The participants gave similar feedback. “Maybe it’s because it’s an American university, but there’s something different about it. The professor constantly asked questions and encouraged us to speak, which made us keep thinking. By debating with people who had different opinions, I was able to broaden my perspective.”

Last week, there was also a Commencement ceremony for students at SUNY Korea. Most of our students are from the engineering and business schools. After graduation, many of them will enter global companies such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon, as well as Korean corporations.

I recalled when they first entered. Many students from regular high schools in Korea face significant challenges during their first semester. This is mainly because all classes are conducted in English, but an even greater challenge is that they are too accustomed to passive learning methods from middle and high school. Korean students are not used to freely discussing and presenting new ideas or differing opinions in class. In contrast, international students actively participate in presentations and debates and thoroughly enjoy the class itself. After studying diligently for four years at university, Korean students gain the confidence and ability to discuss and compete in their fields in English, no matter where they go in the world.

I heard that many engineering and science students from Seoul National University repeat their studies or take a second attempt to enter medical school. Something is wrong. There is a great demand for talented individuals in engineering and technology fields, but most of the top students aim for medical school. I’m confused about when this started, and whether it’s something that our society has created.  

People often say that if you want to understand why America is the world’s leading power, you should visit American universities. But I want to recommend visiting an American elementary school. In the U.S., children are encouraged from an early age to express their thoughts freely in class, fostering creativity naturally. During vacations, children eagerly await the start of school. In a happy school environment, they run, play, study, and discover what suits them, along with their dreams for the future.  

Korean parents are suffering from the immense cost of private education. This is due to the educational culture that fuels competitive comparisons through rankings. In such an environment, individual dreams and creativity cannot flourish. Schools in Korea should also allow students to freely express their dreams and creativity. Even though Korea introduced the first social media platform, Cyworld, it lost its market to later platforms like Facebook and Instagram. I wonder if the reason for the short lifespan of Korean SNS is due to a culture that, trapped in a narrow domestic market, fails to dream of a broader, global future.

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