- As part of the 2022 Stepping Stone University Commissioned Project, students from both North and South Korea are participating together

 

 [Photo] Professors Kwon Gu-soon and Lee Ji-young from Seoul Cyber University (front row, third and second from the right, respectively) are taking a group photo with students from both North and South Korea

From July 9th to the 23rd, our university organized a training program to foster educators in global citizenry. Held over three Saturdays in our seminar room, the program was also streamed live online. A total of 25 educators were trained, including current students and those set to enroll in the latter half of 2022, with nine of them being defectors from North Korea. With a focus on themes such as peace, human rights, cultural diversity, globalization, and sustainable development, the training aimed to elevate the practicality and caliber of the education curriculum by collaborating with the World Together World Citizen School, a development NGO.

This training program, characterized by participatory and interactive lectures, showcased high satisfaction among participants. On the first day, topics included lesson plan development and multicultural sensitivity, followed by climate change and environmental issues on the second day, and discussions on sustainable development goals on the third day. Notably, this program was part of the 'Stepping Stone University Project for North Korean Defectors,' supported by the North-South Foundation. It was designed to involve North Korean defector students in South Korea, who actively participated in lectures alongside South Korean students, taking on leadership roles in group presentations.

Under the goal of nurturing experts who can contribute to the socioeconomic development of developing countries and the social integration of North and South Korea, the Global Citizenship Education Instructor Training Program, hosted by the International Cooperation and North Korea Studies, marked its third iteration this year. This major fosters diverse thinking abilities through a multidisciplinary curriculum, equipping students with project management skills for resolving various issues such as international health, international social welfare, and humanitarian assistance. By nurturing professionals capable of contributing to sustainable development goals and the Korean Peninsula peace process, it aims to cultivate individuals who can make a difference in the field.

The 25 students who graduated this time are registered in the World Together Instructor Pool, enabling them to engage as global citizenship education instructors for domestic elementary, middle, and high school students. Initially, North Korean defector students who completed the program will be dispatched as instructors to alternative schools for North Korean defector children and adolescents, arranged by World Together, starting in September.

As the representative of the trainees at the graduation ceremony, student Park Eunju (2nd year, International Cooperation and North Korean Studies major) expressed her thoughts, saying, 'As a North Korean defector, I've always thought that Korean society was everything. However, through this instructor training, I've come to understand a broader world and realize the responsibilities entrusted to me as a global citizen. If given the opportunity, I would like to actively engage as a global citizenship education instructor.

Since the academic year 2020, our university has been dedicated to nurturing leaders who can contribute to the social integration of North and South Korea. As evidence of our commitment to excellence, Seoul Cyber University is the first cyber university in South Korea to have obtained the highest grade of "A" in all three official evaluations conducted by the Ministry of Education for remote universities and cyber universities. Undoubtedly, Seoul Cyber University stands as a premier institution in the field of cyber education, equipped with an unparalleled online education system optimized for the untact era. Additionally, being the cyber university with the highest number of new and transfer students enrolled (as of 2021), Seoul Cyber University was selected for the Ministry of Education's Remote University Education Innovation Support Project. Through this initiative, we are contributing to the enhancement of adult learners' capabilities by establishing an ON-FLEX-based education model, building big data platforms and specialized infrastructure, and establishing specialized programs such as the Department of National Defense Convergence Studies. This recognition underscores our dedication to fostering high-quality remote education and making significant contributions to its expansion.