I have recently become convinced that Melvin University needs an Institute of Continuing Education (ICE).
There are several reasons for this. Some people want to study at Melvin University but do not have enough money. Others are too busy making a living to attend a regular degree program. Some live too far away from the university. There are also people who are not eligible for a degree program or who have been out of school for many years but still have a strong desire to learn.
As I watched these people and thought about their needs, I wondered for some time what the solution might be. Finally, I became convinced that the breakthrough could come through a lifelong education center.
In fact, this project is a great challenge for me. I sometimes wondered whether I was creating another school and whether it would require that much additional effort. But I was confident about the answer to one important question: Is it necessary? Since I believed the answer was yes, I decided to pursue it. During the past few days, while preparing the basic structure, I also began recruiting students.
As expected, people who wanted to study through ICE began contacting me. Their response was simple: “This is necessary.” As we emphasized an online mobile learning system, inquiries began coming not only from Kenya but from other parts of Africa as well. Along with the recognition of its necessity, encouragement came from many places. I began to see this not simply as another educational program, but as a meaningful project.
A Different Faculty Model
We decided not to involve professors who are currently teaching full-time at Melvin University. The professors themselves felt that their current classroom responsibilities were already demanding enough. It would be burdensome and inefficient for them to manage and teach students from different countries online in addition to their regular responsibilities.
Therefore, I decided that ICE would have a completely different faculty structure, with professors from outside Melvin University.
Fortunately, I knew several people who could serve as professors. Because I have been close to them for more than ten years, it was easy for me to ask them. They have studied at some of the world’s leading universities, including Yale, Harvard, Oxford, and Cambridge. More importantly, many of them are currently serving as pastors in churches in the United States. They have both academic knowledge and practical ministry experience.
They responded positively to the idea. I believe they were also grateful for the opportunity to use what they had learned to serve others. Their education and experience can become a blessing to students who otherwise would have little opportunity to receive such instruction.
Rather than simply following the traditional model of continuing education in Korea, I decided to benchmark the Institute of Continuing Education at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. I believe this model is a good fit for what we are trying to accomplish.
Education for Those Who Cannot Afford It
One of the first questions people asked was, “How much is the tuition?” Another question was, “What can I do if I don’t have a computer?”
These questions reminded me of the real situation facing many African students. In a word, some people cannot go to school simply because they cannot afford it.
At first, I considered setting a nominal tuition fee. But in reality, I decided not to collect tuition and instead provide the education as a scholarship.
How can we ask someone who earns only $30 to $50 a month to pay tuition?
Africa is a place where we need to help, but many people simply do not have the financial ability to pay for education. Therefore, we decided to introduce the concept of “knowledge donation,” similar to the idea of talent donation.
I explained this concept to the professors, and they understood it. They have already earned academic recognition and have sufficient income through their pastoral work. Receiving a few dollars from these students would mean very little to them. But using their knowledge and experience to serve people who have little opportunity to study can be deeply meaningful.
I believe this can become an expression of gratitude to God. They have received opportunities to study at excellent universities and have been blessed in many ways. Now they can share what they have received with others.
Knowledge is not diminished when it is given away. It multiplies.
Learning Through a Mobile Phone
The second challenge was technology.
I knew that many potential students did not have computers. Therefore, I chose an online-mobile virtual learning system that allows students to study primarily through their mobile phones and familiar communication platforms such as Messenger, WhatsApp, and Facebook.
Considering the African context, I believe this is one of the most practical approaches.
It is difficult for professors to sit quietly at a desk and teach because they are busy. The students are also busy making a living and caring for their families. Even if they have a computer, reliable internet access may not be available.
In many places, a computer is simply not realistic.
A mobile phone, however, is much more accessible.
Even then, students still need to pay for phone service and internet access. So we encourage students to make the minimum investment necessary to have internet access on their phones. If someone cannot prepare even that basic requirement, it will be difficult to participate in the program.
Still, I believe this system can provide meaningful education at the minimum possible cost.
Fortunately, the professors understood the situation and agreed to participate.
A Different Kind of University
When I think about ICE, I realize that continuing education is not simply about creating another school.
It is about opening a door.
There are people who have the desire to learn but lack money. There are people who have the ability but lack opportunity. There are people who are too far away, too busy, or too old for a traditional university program. But their desire to learn has not disappeared.
Education should not be limited by money, distance, age, or circumstance.
This is why I believe ICE has a place within Melvin University’s mission.
If we can bring qualified professors together with students who are hungry to learn, and if we can remove as many financial and technological barriers as possible, education can travel beyond the walls of a university.
Perhaps this is the real meaning of continuing education: learning that continues throughout life and education that continues beyond the boundaries of a campus.
I do not know how large ICE will become. I know that it will be challenging. But I am convinced that it is necessary.
And when something is necessary, sometimes we simply have to begin.
“Make it simple. Make it accessible. Make it possible.”