The "Korean Wave (Hallyu)" is a popular term these days. Compared to many countries, South Korea is a relatively small country. Yet, it has a significant cultural influence worldwide.
People are increasingly embracing Korean cultural products – K-pop music, K- drama series, animations, films, technology, and food. 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 larger and more significant daily.
You could see Global Cyber University as another strong current in that cultural ocean. As all the other products provide something unique and valuable experiences, 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 undoubtedly excellent. Yet, something even more significant impact is also conveyed through K-pop, television serials, and other popular products.
At Global Cyber University, we believe that education is fundamental to people’s lives, much more important than the kind of smartphone they choose, or the TV shows 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 forms the foundation of Global Cyber University's educational pedagogy and is known as Hongik Ingan 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 partly to the Internet and the total connectedness of today's world, we have a better opportunity than ever to make this ideal a reality. Education at Global Cyber University is about helping people embody that spirit.
Online-based education is in the process of vastly transforming what education is. Thanks to the Internet and digital technology, most people can access quality education, regardless of their financial and lifestyle situations. As many older adults seek additional education to expand their lives and careers, it has changed who becomes a student. It has also changed how people study, as they tailor their curriculum and schedules to their needs. It has made advanced study more accessible and easier 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 adverse effect of Internet-based education is student isolation. Compared to traditional universities with crowded classrooms offering possibilities of many students interacting with each other in one space, cyber students are left alone to find their ways to learn and without one-on-one, personal contact with instructors and other students.
However, at Global Cyber University, an educational institute based on the Hongik ideal, you will find the opposite experience. Our focus is on creating connections between people for the overall benefit of humanity. While it may be the case 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.
