I am proud of studying at one of the Republic of Korea's many esteemed universities. The pool of knowledgeable faculty members as well as talented students and researchers is an eternal source of inspiration. Acknowledging the great potential and the good reputation of Korean educational institutions, I am willing to believe that there is a little yet critical element missing; namely, democratic values.
With less democratic features, Korean universities would benefit from endorsing what can be called "democratic education." Although Korean society is founded on democratic values, universities and their learning processes do not wholeheartedly strive to empower students, nor do they encourage them to actively participate as co-creators of their learning experiences.
And if students feel that they have been treated in an unfair manner or discriminated against there is very little help to get. In such a setting, students are turned into passive recipients of information where vital principles so important for a healthy educational system are undermined.
Democratic principles such as liberty, truth and justice are overshadowed by autocratic-like elements that hinder students to develop and fully exploit their potential. Challenging authorities and institutions is generally seen as a "no-go area," and so is challenging current truths. While challenging authorities, institutions and current truths may lead to uncomfortable situations; it is an indispensable part of developing a dynamic and democratic society. Moreover, as countries look to revitalize their economies, many governments, including the Park Geun-hye administration, are emphasizing the crucial role of innovation, creativity, and particularly entrepreneurship in driving sustainable growth.
The popular definition of entrepreneurship is linked to the notion of being self-employed and new start-ups, which only partly reflects what entrepreneurship is all about. According to the Schumpeterian view, entrepreneurship is much more about undertaking something that has not been done before: it is about creatively doing something new, and thus innovative. To do something new and innovative necessitate us to challenge current truths, norms and institutions.
Failing to empower students and to encourage them to participate, as well as failing to champion an environment where critical and creative thinking is considered a good thing, is to pay little attention to the human capabilities that our future depends on. Thriving in a democratic society, Korean universities would do much good by establishing ombudsman institutions. Actually it would be an effective quick fix that would safeguard important principles such as truth, liberty and Justice, and eventually incite students to become co-creators of knowledge.
Ombudsmen would help protect and preserve an environment where challenging current truths and institutions is the norm rather than an anomaly. Only then would students feel safe to develop their own critical and creative thinking. Unleashing this unexploited potential ― by freeing capabilities ― will have positive impact on society. Not only is it in line with democratic values, it is also a prerequisite for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.
With less democratic features, Korean universities would benefit from endorsing what can be called "democratic education." Although Korean society is founded on democratic values, universities and their learning processes do not wholeheartedly strive to empower students, nor do they encourage them to actively participate as co-creators of their learning experiences.
And if students feel that they have been treated in an unfair manner or discriminated against there is very little help to get. In such a setting, students are turned into passive recipients of information where vital principles so important for a healthy educational system are undermined.
Democratic principles such as liberty, truth and justice are overshadowed by autocratic-like elements that hinder students to develop and fully exploit their potential. Challenging authorities and institutions is generally seen as a "no-go area," and so is challenging current truths. While challenging authorities, institutions and current truths may lead to uncomfortable situations; it is an indispensable part of developing a dynamic and democratic society. Moreover, as countries look to revitalize their economies, many governments, including the Park Geun-hye administration, are emphasizing the crucial role of innovation, creativity, and particularly entrepreneurship in driving sustainable growth.
The popular definition of entrepreneurship is linked to the notion of being self-employed and new start-ups, which only partly reflects what entrepreneurship is all about. According to the Schumpeterian view, entrepreneurship is much more about undertaking something that has not been done before: it is about creatively doing something new, and thus innovative. To do something new and innovative necessitate us to challenge current truths, norms and institutions.
Failing to empower students and to encourage them to participate, as well as failing to champion an environment where critical and creative thinking is considered a good thing, is to pay little attention to the human capabilities that our future depends on. Thriving in a democratic society, Korean universities would do much good by establishing ombudsman institutions. Actually it would be an effective quick fix that would safeguard important principles such as truth, liberty and Justice, and eventually incite students to become co-creators of knowledge.
Ombudsmen would help protect and preserve an environment where challenging current truths and institutions is the norm rather than an anomaly. Only then would students feel safe to develop their own critical and creative thinking. Unleashing this unexploited potential ― by freeing capabilities ― will have positive impact on society. Not only is it in line with democratic values, it is also a prerequisite for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.
Alexandre Hjalmarsson
Seoul Korea
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