Inside South Korea’s Social Impact

Leinners in action at LEINN Seoul Lab (Photo courtesy of Mondragon University LEINN Seoul Lab)   South Korea has a uniquely demanding educational environment. Because university entrance exams carry immense weight, an intensely competitive academic culture has developed. Students routinely stay at school late into the night, often heading directly to private cram schools (*hagwons*) or study cafes afterward. Growing up in Korea, I followed this exact path — participating in late-night self-study (*yaja*) at school and attending private academies until midnight. Even in college, I spent most of my days in the library maintaining competitive grades. While this felt routine to me, compared to international contexts, Korea's distinct educational realities are undeniable.   Mondragon University’s LEINN operates on a completely different paradigm. As explored in Part 1, lecture halls are replaced by active business environments, and professors are replaced by team coaches. It fu...

  When we picture university life, we usually envision lecture halls packed with students listening to a professor's presentation. But what if a university had neither lecture halls nor professors? Last month, I visited a unique educational institution where both were absent. Instead of classrooms, students worked in active business environments; instead of professors, team coaches guided them. This is the story of Mondragon University’s LEINN Seoul Lab.   How is LEINN Seoul Lab operated, and how do students approach their learning? I sat down with Yena Lee, a team coach at Mondragon University’s LEINN Seoul Lab, to explore the journey in depth. By chance, I also had the opportunity to briefly meet students who were actively working on projects even during their vacation. Over the coming series, I will share the compelling story of Mondragon University’s LEINN. (Note: Throughout this article, Mondragon University’s LEINN program is referred to simply as ‘LEINN.’)   ...