Seoulful takeaways

Wearing hanbok while touring Gyeongbokgung Palace: (From left) Nooren, Zarifah, Murad, Star Media Group Content Department assistant news editor Rowena Chua, Haes, Teng, Mohd Iswan, Sinar Harian deputy news editor Azlina Mohamad Jantan, Tajul Ahmar, Salwa, JTB (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Global Business Solutions Division business development manager Akira Iwasaki, and KTO marketing executive Afifah Kamilia.

INSIGHTFUL and enriching – that was how a group of Malaysian participants described their recent educational trip to various parts of South Korea, including Gyeonggi, Daejeon and Seoul.

The group of 10 comprised representatives from the Education Ministry, government and international schools, as well as media organisations.

Dubbed the 2025 Education Familiarisation Trip for Malaysian Schools, the tour was co-organised by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), Gyeonggi Tourism Organization (GTO) and Japan Travel Bureau (JTB) to introduce participants to the experiences Malaysian students could potentially gain from such visits.

Held from Sept 15 to 20, it exposed participants to Korea’s education system, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) advancements, while also showcasing the country’s history, culture and arts.

Their itinerary featured visits to Hyundai Motorstudio Goyang, Samsung Innovation Museum, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), Korea Aerospace Research Institute, Eulji University Seongnam Campus and Incheon Choeun High School.

Experiencing a virtual reality anatomy demonstration at Eulji University Seongnam Campus

They also toured landmarks such as the National Museum of Korea and Gyeongbokgung Palace, and took part in hands-on activities such as making gochujang (red chili paste) and experiencing media art.

Here are the participants’ key takeaways from their experiences.

South Korea has strong expertise in artificial intelligence and computer technology. Malaysia is working to develop high-level expertise in these areas, so we can encourage our students to join educational programmes in Korea and bring that knowledge back. We can also have online exchange programmes – this will strengthen our network.

Education Ministry Technical Vocational Education & Training Division principal assistant director Nooren Zeeana Azis

Trips like this expose students to how STEM subjects are applied in daily life, nurturing their interest in the field. It was enlightening to see how advanced Korean society is and how deeply they value innovation. As Malaysia moves towards becoming an innovative society, developing our youth with this mindset is critical.

Learning how meals are prepared at Kyochon Academy, with participants saucing the chicken pieces

Education Ministry Strategic Planning and International Relations Division (Bilateral Sector) senior assistant director Zarifah Zahidi

My school already partners with a Korean high school, and we’ve had online exchanges. Parents, schools and society must cultivate STEM interest from the start. It’s fine if students pursue other fields – we need diverse talents to develop the nation. At the policy level, however, we must support the national agenda of becoming a developed nation and prepare for future human capital needs.

SMK King George V, Negri Sembilan, principal Murad Nordin

Having short visits to stimulate student interest is really good. The most important thing we can do as teachers is to keep children curious and build their resilience to keep learning. They may watch hundreds of online videos, but it doesn’t have the same impact as being there to see what others are doing.

Jesselton International School, Sabah, principal Nicholas John Haes

What’s important is opening students’ minds. Korea’s drive to advance is something we need to cultivate. We want to raise a generation of creators, not just consumers.

Musleh Integrated Education Berhad Centre of Learning Excellence Student Support and Development Sector head Mohd Iswan Mansor, who is also Sek Men Islam Hira’ Jeram, Selangor, Chemistry and Maths teacher

We should promote partnerships between Malaysian and Korean schools through online, hybrid or physical exchanges. Malaysian students can learn from Korea’s attitude and culture that drive progress, while Korean students can also visit Malaysia and learn from us.

Sek Men Sains Tapah, Perak, Japanese language teacher Tajul Ahmar Abdul Hamid

I’d encourage students to visit Korea, experience the culture and join educational tours. Hands-on cultural activities are meaningful, while visits to government-sponsored research institutes provide valuable exposure.

Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Perak, Japanese language teacher Salwa Mahayuddin

Visiting research institutes offers great educational value. They show us the importance of technology and the need to keep innovating. We believe in holistic learning, and trips like this hold lessons for us.

King Henry VIII College Malaysia, Cyberjaya, business development manager Joyce Teng