The Entire Seo-gu District in Jeonnam Gwangju Becomes One University... "Sekundae" Certified as a Lifelong Learning City

Passed Third Cycle Ministry of Education Evaluation, Status Maintained Until 2028
Operating 18 Community Campuses and 50 Learning Playgrounds

Seo-gu, Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City, has solidified its status as a lifelong learning city by promoting the “World’s Biggest University” (shortened as “Sekundae”), an initiative that transforms the entire region into a place of learning.

Seo-gu announced on the 18th that it passed the third cycle of the lifelong learning city evaluation and certification led by the Ministry of Education and will maintain its lifelong learning city status until 2028.

On the 18th, Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, Jeonnam, announced that it passed the third cycle of lifelong learning city evaluation and certification overseen by the Ministry of Education this year and will maintain its qualification as a lifelong learning city until 2028. Provided by Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, Jeonnam

Since first being designated a lifelong learning city in 2015, Seo-gu has continuously expanded opportunities for residents to participate in learning and has steadily reinforced the local foundation for lifelong education. Notably, this third evaluation cycle marked a shift away from simply maintaining qualifications, adopting a certification method that qualitatively assesses the city’s efforts and achievements in lifelong learning.

At the center of Seo-gu’s lifelong learning policies is its unique “Sekundae” brand. Drawing on the fact that there are no universities in the area, Seo-gu introduced the concept that “the entire district is a single university,” expanding learning spaces beyond specific facilities or programs and transforming all residential neighborhoods into learning environments.

To achieve this, Seo-gu operates 18 community campuses and 50 “Five-Minute Learning Playgrounds” that are easily accessible to residents on foot, all coordinated by a headquarters dedicated to lifelong learning.

Customized learning reflecting resident needs has also been expanded. Initiatives such as the “Run to You” express delivery class, where instructors visit at the desired time and place, allow residents to learn and teach each other and organize learning circles, enabling residents to transition from passive recipients of education to active participants.

Seo-gu is also strengthening a virtuous cycle that gives back acquired knowledge and skills to the community. The district provides training for village activity specialists and multicultural foreign language instructors, supporting the application of residents’ learning achievements to community activities and job opportunities.

Based on these lifelong learning initiatives, Seo-gu was selected for the first time in Gwangju as a member city of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) in February 2024.

Going forward, Seo-gu plans to further expand neighborhood-based learning infrastructure, while reinforcing access to lifelong education for underserved groups such as people with disabilities. The district aims to collaborate with universities, institutions, and the private sector to build a lifelong learning ecosystem where all residents can learn and grow as part of daily life.

Lee Ikang, the mayor of Seo-gu, stated, “We have not seen the lack of universities as a limitation, but rather, by developing our unique model of the ‘World’s Biggest University’ that turns the entire district into a university, we will further advance this approach to create a lifelong learning ecosystem where individual learning leads not only to personal growth but also to transformation across the community.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.