Today, humanity stands in the midst of a great transformation in the history of civilization. Digitalization and artificial intelligence have revolutionized human life, and increasing threats to the ecosystem, such as climate change, and the changing world order, including the intensifying US-China conflict, herald a revolutionary transformation in 21st-century civilization. In particular, the driving force in the history of civilization is no longer Europe and the U.S. which were previously the leaders of modernization. Now, the history of civilization is becoming Asia-centric and centered in North East Asia.

In this era of great transformation, it is naturally the duty of higher education to step up to the challenge and embrace innovation in educating global citizens who can lead the future of our community and the world. Universities must now offer a new kind of education to lead this great transformation in civilization. Instead of intellectuals with functional knowledge who led modernization in the 20 th century, we must educate creative individuals capable of leading a new civilization in the 21 st century. While segmented specialized knowledge was highly valued in the era of mass industrial production, repetitive and functional skills are now being rapidly replaced by computers and automation in the age of digitalization. As a result, it has become essential for individuals to possess convergent knowledge and creative skills.

During the 20th century, universities primarily focused on knowledge production through research, which weakened their educational function. Additionally, the priority given to imparting rote and formulaic knowledge, meant that not enough was done to foster creative and tacit knowledge. Through methods that existing universities have been unable to attempt, Taejae University aims to nurture students who will solve the difficult problems in our society and be at the forefront of change. Having set our educational goal as student success and producing world class leaders, we will be introducing a customized education system that is optimized for each individual so that students can fully develop their potential.

We will educate students who will lead the world and the future by offering a liberal arts curriculum to strengthen intellectual agility, courses in majors that foster convergent thinking and problem-solving skills, and on-site learning programs worldwide. Through these initiatives, Taejae students will develop competencies that empower them to build global harmony and pursue sustainability, as well as the capacity for diversity and empathy, communication and collaboration, creative and critical thinking, and self-directed learning.

At Taejae University, we are committed to maximizing the potential of online learning education by incorporating digital innovation into teaching. With this aim in mind, we will continually develop new education programs and learning management systems, and share the results of development to benefit higher education in Korea. Furthermore, we will develop and propagate curricula for lifelong learning in the 21st century to create a structure for a virtuous cycle in Korea’s knowledge ecosystem.

A new age is now dawning in the knowledge society of the 21st century. Only people and countries that are at the forefront of knowledge and the spirit of the age can lead the world. Taejae University will not cease to take on new challenges and innovate as a driving force in the future of higher education in Korea and as a leader in higher education worldwide. We have a sense of duty grounded in the belief that the university’s future will determine the fate of the country. We also have a mission to nurture future leaders to protect our destiny amidst the fierce competition among great neighboring powers. With this sense of duty and mission

in mind, we are taking this first momentous step.