Two-day event at Seoul National University on Oct. 23-24 to explore the future of liberal arts education; scholars from Korea, Japan and Taiwan to participate; 8 sessions and 56 academic presentations planned
The Korean Association for General Education announced Monday that it will hold the "2026 KAGE 20th Anniversary International Academic Conference" at Seoul National University's Building 83, the Humanities and Social Sciences Multimedia Lecture Hall, from Oct. 23 to 24 to mark its 20th founding anniversary.
The conference centers on the theme "Universities in Transition: Revisiting the Essence of Liberal Arts Education (II)," building on discussions launched at this year's spring academic conference to reexamine the philosophical foundations and future direction of liberal arts education.
The event will also serve as a forum for international academic exchange, held in conjunction with the 4th Asian Liberal Education Conference (ALEC), with specialists in liberal arts education from Korea, Japan and Taiwan taking part. The conference will be held in a hybrid format, combining in-person and online participation.
Co-organizers include the Ministry of Education, the Korean Association for General Education, the Korea National Institute for General Education, the National Council of University Liberal Arts Education, the Korean Council of College Liberal Arts Education, and the Asian Liberal Education Network (ALEN). The Korean Association for General Education and Seoul National University's College of Liberal Studies will serve as the host institutions.
Marking its 20th anniversary this year, the Korean Association for General Education has pursued academic research aimed at establishing the identity of liberal arts education at universities and advancing its quality.
Universities today face a complex set of pressures — among them the digital transformation, the spread of generative AI, the introduction of open major selection systems, a declining school-age population, and growing calls for universities to strengthen their public role. Against this backdrop, fundamental questions are being raised about what role liberal arts education should play beyond simply conveying foundational knowledge or supplementing major-field study.
Through the conference, the association plans to reflect on two decades of research around the central questions of what liberal arts education is for and what should be taught and preserved, while charting new directions for education in the years ahead.
On Oct. 23, the 4th ALEC will convene under the theme "Liberal Arts Education in East Asia Today and Tomorrow."
The keynote address will be delivered by Yoshida Aya, a professor at Waseda University in Japan. Yoshida will speak on "Liberal Arts Education in Japan: Historical Resolution of Structural Discord," examining the historical shifts and structural challenges facing liberal arts education at Japanese universities.
Wang Zhongming, a professor at Tunghai University in Taiwan, and Lin Liangru, a professor at National Central University of Science and Technology, will then present jointly on "Education for Humanity in the Age of Machines: Why AI Society Must Rebuild Liberal Arts Education."
Matano Hidenori, a professor at Kochi University in Japan, will present on "The Campus as Community: Learning from Experience at a Regional University in Japan," while Park Byung-chul, a professor at Busan University of Foreign Studies, will speak on "Innovation in Korean Liberal Education: Challenges and Outlook."
Participants will share developments and challenges in liberal arts education across their respective countries and discuss the role universities must play in the age of AI.
On the second day, a roundtable on "The Path Forward for Korean Liberal Arts Education" will be held alongside a keynote address by Son Dong-hyun, president of Woosong University of Information.
Over the two days, the conference will feature 56 academic presentations and discussions across eight sessions, covering a broad range from the theoretical foundations of liberal arts education to practical challenges in university classrooms, with the aim of mapping out the future of the field.
Expanding cooperative frameworks for liberal arts education among Asian countries is also a key focus.
ALEN was launched in December 2023 when the Japan Association for College and University Education (JACUE), the Chinese Association for General Education (CAGE) in Taiwan, and the Korean Association for General Education (KAGEDU) joined forces to advance cooperation in liberal arts and higher education across Asia.
The conference is expected to serve as an opportunity to share research outcomes by country through ALEN and identify shared challenges for liberal arts education across Asia. The association also plans to use the international exchange to raise the profile of Korean liberal arts education globally while exploring ways to apply educational experiences from overseas universities to domestic innovation in the field.
7toy7@heraldcorp.com
