The "Korean Wave" is a popular term these days. Compared to many countries, South Korea isn't very big. Yet, it seems to be having a big cultural influence in the world.
More and more, people are embracing Korean cultural products – K-pop music, television drama series, animated films, technology, and food. And it's happening not only in Eastern Asia but also in places you might not expect, such as Romania, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq.
In Korea, this is called Hallyu, which means "the flow and spread of Korea." Even though South Korea is just part of a small peninsula in the East Sea, its cultural footprint is much, much larger and getting larger every day.
You could see Global Cyber University as another current in that ocean. Just as all the other products have something unique and useful to offer, so does Korean education. K-pop sensations like Psy singing "Gangnam Style" and Korean dramas like "Wild Chives and Soybean Soup" bring smiles to people's faces and make them feel better about their lives, which is certainly a wonderful thing. Yet, there is something even more important that is not always conveyed as completely as it could be through K-pop, television serials, and other popular products.
At Global Cyber University, we believe education is fundamental to how people live their lives, much more important than the kind of smart phone they choose or the television shows that they watch. Through Global Cyber University, we hope to show the world the deeper meaning of Korean culture, the philosophy that lies right at the core of the culture. Ultimately, this is not just a philosophy for Koreans; it is a philosophy for everyone.
This philosophy, which forms the foundation of Global Cyber University's educational pedagogy, is known as Hongikinkan in Korea. Its meaning is simple: live and work for the benefit of all, not just for yourself. It is essentially the motto of Korea, one which Korean people have strived to live by since their earliest history. Thanks in part to the Internet and the connectedness of today's world, we have better opportunity than ever to make this ideal a reality in the world. Education at Global Cyber University is about helping people embody that spirit throughout their lives.
Internet-based education is in the process of vastly transforming what education is. Thanks to Internet and digital technology, most people can access a quality education, regardless of their financial and lifestyle situations. It has changed who becomes a student, as an increasing number of older adults seek additional education to expand their lives and careers, and it has changed how people study, as they tailor their curriculum and study schedules to their own needs. Basically, it has made advanced study more accessible and easy to pursue.
Global Cyber University seeks to add to this rapidly developing educational phenomenon. In addition to offering the same ease of accessibility that other online universities do, it also seeks to take full advantage of the benefits that cyber education offers students.
One possible negative effect of Internet-based education is student isolation. Unlike traditional universities with crowded classrooms offering possibilities of large nu mber of students interacting with each other at one space, cyber students are left alone to find their own ways to learn and without one-on-one, personal contact with instructors and other students.
However, in Global Cyber University, as an educational institute based on the hong-ik ideal, you will find the exact opposite experience. Our focus is on creating connections between people for the overall benefit of humanity. While it may be that your fellow students are half a world away, Global Cyber University's emphasis and support for collaborative learning and problem solving through the Internet encourages our students to become even closer than they would in a traditional classroom.
