ENU Explores the Korean Model of Lifelong Learning and Digital Transformation

L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (ENU) continues to explore advanced international practices in higher education, digital transformation, and workforce development for high-tech industries. A further step in this direction was the participation of an ENU delegation in the international professional development programme entitled «Universities of the Future: Digitalization, Science and Global Integration», held in the Republic of Korea.

The university delegation was headed by Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Ardak Beisenbay. The programme provided an important platform for studying the Korean model of educational development, strengthening international academic ties, and identifying prospects for further cooperation between ENU and leading Korean educational and research institutions.

The international programme was implemented within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in September this year during the state visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, to the Republic of Korea and the first Central Asia–Republic of Korea Summit in Seoul. The document was signed by ENU Rector Erlan Sydykov and ABEEK President Woo Seung Kim.

As part of the programme, ENU representatives visited the National Institute for Lifelong Education of the Republic of Korea (NILE), Korea Digital Media High School (DIMIGO), Yeonsung University, Korea University of Technology and Education (KOREATECH), Ulsan Vocational Education Complex Center (UVECC), and Ulsan College.

The experience of KOREATECH attracted particular interest from the delegation. During the visit, participants explored the activities of the Smart Learning Factory. The solutions presented demonstrated the potential for integrating artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, and digital technologies into the educational process and the practical training of engineering professionals.

At DIMIGO, the ENU delegation examined modern approaches to training specialists in information technology, programming, and digital media. Particular attention was paid to project-based learning and cooperation between educational institutions and technology companies.

Visits to educational institutions in Ulsan provided an opportunity to learn about the vocational training system for the industrial sector, practice-oriented learning approaches, the use of modern laboratories, and the involvement of employers in developing professional competencies.

The knowledge gained and the practices presented open up new opportunities for strengthening ENU's research and educational potential. In particular, they create prospects for implementing joint research initiatives in artificial intelligence, digitalization, robotics, engineering technologies, and the automation of industrial processes.

Promising areas of cooperation include the establishment of international research teams, the organization of academic seminars and conferences, the exchange of expertise, and expanded participation of ENU's young researchers and doctoral students in international projects.

An important component of the programme was the study of the Korean experience in quality assurance and the international accreditation of engineering education programmes.

During a working meeting with representatives of ABEEK (the Accreditation Board for Engineering Education of Korea), the parties discussed prospects for further technological and educational cooperation, opportunities for implementing joint projects, and the exchange of experience in improving the quality of engineering education.

For ENU, this area is particularly important in the context of improving educational programmes, strengthening the university's international recognition, and enhancing the competitiveness of its graduates.

One of the most significant areas of the programme was the study of the National Institute for Lifelong Education of the Republic of Korea (NILE), whose experience is of particular interest for advancing the Lifelong Learning concept at ENU.

During the visit, the delegation became acquainted with Korea's Academic Credit Bank System (ACBS), the K-MOOC and MatchUp digital learning platforms, micro-credential models, and mechanisms for adult education.

The Korean experience demonstrates the potential of flexible learning pathways that enable learners to complete individual educational modules, accumulate verified learning outcomes, and use them for further professional and academic development.

For ENU, this area represents one of the promising directions for modernizing the university's lifelong learning system. Initiatives under consideration include the introduction of micro-credentials, the improvement of mechanisms for recognizing non-formal learning outcomes, and the development of short-term programmes focused on specific professional competencies.

Particular attention is expected to be paid to the digital support of these processes within the Smart ENU framework, including the development of an electronic catalogue of micro-credentials. This will help create a more flexible and accessible educational environment that responds to the demands of the modern labour market and the needs of different categories of learners.