A 'Shared Platform' to Be Created for Lifelong Learning of 14 Million Gyeonggi Province Residents

Reference Image for Gyeonggi-do Type Lifelong Learning Sharing Platform Construction

Gyeonggi Province is planning to establish a standardized 'Lifelong Learning Platform' for its 14 million residents by the first half of next year and share it with the 31 cities and counties within the province. This will allow the 31 cities and counties to share a single platform, reducing costs and ultimately helping to close the lifelong learning gap.

On the 7th, Gyeonggi Province announced the plan to build a 'Gyeonggi-type Lifelong Learning Shared Platform' centered on a standardized academic management system.

According to the plan, the 31 cities and counties will open and operate lifelong learning websites using the shared platform engine provided by Gyeonggi Province. The province will cover the platform development costs in full, while the cities and counties will only be responsible for maintenance costs, which is expected to reduce budgets. Additionally, the shared platform is expected to eliminate disparities in lifelong education among the cities and counties.

The reason Gyeonggi Province is promoting such a standardized lifelong learning platform is due to the significant functional differences among lifelong education websites provided by each city and county.

Currently, Gyeonggi Province operates the Gyeonggi Lifelong Learning Portal 'Knowledge (GSEEK)', but many of the 31 cities and counties have poor financial conditions and only provide some educational content in separate spaces on their own websites. Currently, only places like Seongnam City (Baeum Sup) and Namyangju City (Dasan Seodang) have separately established and operate lifelong learning websites.

Given these circumstances, most local governments find it difficult not only to manage academic affairs related to lifelong education but also to develop new educational content.

Accordingly, Gyeonggi Province plans to reorganize the current lifelong learning portal it operates into a standardized 'Gyeonggi-type Lifelong Learning Shared Platform' and provide it to the 31 cities and counties by the first half of next year.

The shared platform will offer four services: ▲standardized academic management system ▲integration of residents' learning histories ▲expansion of online and real-time video education ▲integrated online, offline, and real-time lifelong learning between the province and cities/counties.

Gyeonggi Province will provide each platform to the cities and counties in the form of a lease, after which each city or county will name the platform and open and operate educational courses for local residents.

With the new platform, it will be possible to digitize and manage all learning histories of local residents?from course registration to certificate issuance?under a single ID.

Moreover, even if residents move their address, they will be able to use one ID without needing to sign up again on the lifelong learning website of the new city or county. Lifelong learning histories will also be managed in an integrated manner.

Gyeonggi Province plans to share over 1,700 online lifelong learning contents and real-time video learning functions with the cities and counties. This will enable each city and county to secure abundant educational content without additional costs.

Gyeonggi Province will invest a total of 1.41 billion KRW to complete the platform construction by the first half of next year. Then, it will conduct pilot services of the shared platform for 2 to 3 cities and counties in the first half of next year and prioritize providing the shared platform to cities and counties where academic management functions are outdated and platform redevelopment is urgent.

Kim Hyang-sook, Director of Lifelong Education at Gyeonggi Province, said, "Due to the financial conditions and interest in lifelong learning among the 31 cities and counties, educational disparities between regions have been evident, which led us to promote the construction of this shared platform. We will do our best to ensure that residents receive more equitable lifelong learning opportunities through the standardized academic management system."