Sustainable Development of University : What Makes University Education Sustainable?
- LAS Group
- Dec 7, 2018
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 14, 2019
By Elena Jung in Bilbao
(Dec, 07, 2018)
Among UN's sustainable development goals, the fourth goal is 'Quality Education'. University education has a big impact on society and individuals. The way university education is valuable topic. And it's been a long time since education was connected worldwide. We can come up with that how they have developed in conjunction with each other and how east and west education differ. So this is about the interview with Seungsoo Park, who has experience both education to comparing Korean and Spanish university's system.
4 Quality Education:
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Text and photo Courtesy of United Nations (un.org).
Q : Please introduce yourself.
A : Hello. I'm Seungsoo Park and I am from Korea. I'm Erasmus student in UPV. I am a senior majoring Aerospace Engineering in Sejong University in Korea. Aerospace Engineering aims to cultivate people who enter the mechanical and aerospace industries by learning the general knowledge of propulsion systems, such as general aviation, unmanned aircraft, helicopters, and drones. My majors are Industrial Engineering and Fluid mechanics & Telecomunication Engineering at UPV. I am taking Algebra, Calculus, Extended Mathmatics classes.
Q : The universities have different curricula, so are there any difficulties in majoring in Spanish universities?
A : Except for a few subjects, I thought there would be no difficulty in understanding the contents of class because I've learned basic of math and science. But that was different in depth from what I had learned in Korea. And I can't understand exactly because the class is taught in English. It is not easy but new to have classes with class mates from other countries. As English is one of the skills that I should develop, I am studying English with a very difficult but joyful mind. New is accompanied by difficulties and value to me.
Q : What would be a big difference between Korean and Spanish university education?
A : While Korean universities score with relative evaluations, UPV holds absolute evaluations. In terms of class, Korean universities focus on problem solving, and students repeat the questions given by the professor to get good grades. In contrast, Spanish classes are formal and certification-oriented, and all classes are added with seminars, experiments, and practices to promote the active development of students.
Q : University education has a great influence on society and the individual. Do you think Korean and Spanish education systems are developing in a sustainable?
A : I think experience is the most important thing in terms of sustainable development. Because applying what is learned in university on the field is an important part of connection between the education and the society in case major in engineering. The four-year curriculum of the Korea Institute of Technology is one or two practices at most. The experiment and seminar at the University of Spain was a big shock to me. The Industrial Engineering department of UPV University actually practice in its third year. It's basic but it's a huge opportunity to learn how to behave efficiently and safely. If you are an engineering student with this experience in Korea, almost company will want to hire you.
Q : What do you think should the educational system of both universities improve?
A : I hope there will be more practical classes in Korea university. While it is important for engineers to learn theory like reading books, but I think it is also important to learn practical experience. And I hope that Korean universities will work hard to foster global students by increasing their major classes in English.I hope that students who have engineering majors from UPV will be able to take liberal arts courses. Literature classes, active classes, and language classes help students refresh their tired feelings and this is how to become a cultured engineer.
Q : Is there any difficulty in the university life in Spain?
A : In order to get six credits, Korean universities are supposed to share two hours a week, but Spanish universities have four times classes by dividing it by one hour, one hour, one hour, and three hours a week. So it was difficult to apply for classes because of the empty time between classes and classes or class time overlapping. Also, if the class is a long lesson, I sometimes feel tired because there is no break time.
Q : You have experienced both the East and the West in teaching, so please tell me your thoughts or feelings.
A : From my experience, the class atmosphere in Korea is solemn, and there is little communication with professors and students because the university classes are evaluated relatively. In the case of Spanish university, students in a free atmosphere shared their opinions to solve difficult problems and warm atmosphere. With the global economy in bad shape, I was wondering which direction university education should go. University is a way to get a job, but it is also a place to satisfy the desire to learn. First of all, I think it is important for universities to listen to students' voices for sustainable development. After all, the purpose of the university is to students. I hope that both universities will actively accept students' opinions and guide them along the path of learning so that universities will be not a tool but a socially valuable institution. There are many differences between the two universities, but it is very meaningful that the two universities are working together to exchange students. I am very happy to be able to experience both universities' learning and the culture of both countries as a beneficiary of the system.
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