Sungkyunkwan University Publishing Department Releases 'Learning from Bildung'

- Exploring Nordic Education Innovation

Sungkyunkwan University's publishing department has released a book titled 'Learning from Bildung.'

'Bildung' can be described as moral and emotional maturity. It involves acquiring the education necessary for an individual to prosper in society and possess knowledge. It is about having the autonomy to forge one's own path in life while deeply rooting oneself in culture and community.

'Bildung' is a German word that doesn't have a direct equivalent in English and may seem unfamiliar to us. German philosophers began exploring 'Bildung' as a secular form of inner development in the 1770s, and it garnered significant attention among the bourgeoisie.

In the 1830s, a Danish clergyman realized that 'Bildung' was necessary not only for the bourgeoisie but also for peasants, leading to the concept of 'folkehøjskole,' a new type of school. In 1851, Danish teacher Christen Kold told inspiring stories to farmers and encouraged them to ask questions. Following this, he taught them various subjects such as new agricultural techniques, science, philosophy, history, religion, literature, art, economic theory, and politics.

Today, we face new challenges such as digitization, globalization, the COVID-19 pandemic, and environmental changes. 'Bildung' is needed for navigating these challenges in the 21st century. This book explores how 'Bildung' can help us wisely respond to new challenges.

The book has been adopted as a report by the Club of Rome. It serves as a guide to refocusing humanity on essential matters and helping us understand lifelong learning, education, and thought in an integrated manner. It extensively covers the comparison and analysis of developmental psychology and 'Bildung,' making it easy to understand the complex interactions between individual development, learning, and group culture.

In this context, 'Bildung' refers to the concept of an individual progressing toward self-authorship within a shared cultural value system, and it represents a stage in human development where an individual expresses their unique personality and functions as a confident and responsible citizen. The author proposes the concept of 'Bildung Rose' to achieve integration within diversity and make nature a sanctuary for humanity.

To move beyond COVID-19 and prepare for future pandemics and crises, humanity must evolve into stronger, more resilient, and solidarity-based communities. To achieve this, we need to better understand the integrative power of 'Bildung.' Concepts like 'Bildung,' 'Circles of Belonging,' and 'Bildung Rose' offer the possibility of a new kind of national identity. This new identity is based on an organic, holistic perspective that views the self, ethnicity, and community as interconnected components, rather than as separate entities. Unlike today's extremist nationalism or populism, this new identity is rooted in loving acceptance of all cultures and thoughts, fostering a sense of belonging and pride.

This book will provide readers who are seriously considering how knowledge exchange, education, and lifelong learning can lead to organic, integrated economic and political development across communities, nations, and the global landscape with plenty of food for thought.

About the Author - Lene Rachel Andersen

Lene Rachel Andersen is a Danish economist, author, futurist, and Bildung activist. She has authored 16 books from 2005 to the present and received the Danish Democracy Award in 2007 and 2012. Her published books include 'Nordic Secret' (2017) and 'Metamodernity' (2019). She is a full member of the Club of Rome and a co-founder of Nordic Bildung, a think tank headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark. Additionally, she leads the European Bildung Day and the European Bildung Network, driving the Bildung movement.

About the Translator - Won-jun Lee

Won-jun Lee studied business administration at Sungkyunkwan University and earned his master's and Ph.D. in business administration from the University of Michigan and Indiana University in the United States. He is currently a professor at the Sungkyunkwan University School of Business, continually pursuing educational innovation by applying coaching methods in his teaching. Professor Lee established the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation to develop a human-centered entrepreneurship education model and introduced an entrepreneurship-related major to nurture future innovation leaders. Since 2021, he has been leading the Future Humanities-Based Social Innovation Entrepreneurship Education Research Group under the BK21 project.