Thirdly, pedagogy will emphasize critical thinking and classroom interaction. Most classes will be taught in seminar-style with 18 or fewer students. “Students from various countries and diverse cultures will have classes at YNC, discussing and developing their thoughts in small groups. This will definitely be an excellent stimulant to generate creative thinking,” said LAU Geok Theng, Associate Professor of NUS Business School.

Lastly, YNC students will have many opportunities to go overseas at least once during their four years through academic exchange programs, internships, research attachments and community service activities. According to The Alum NUS, the alumni magazine of NUS, YNC already ensures more than 30 internship partners in Singapore, the United States, Europe and other regions. From corporate giants such as Microsoft, Santander Bank and Coca-Cola, to global organizations such as the United Nations and World Wildlife Fund, and major Singaporean companies such as Singapore Airlines and SingTel, are among the list of the partners.

Prognosis of liberal arts education in Asia

The launch of YNC deserves to be welcomed in Asia, and worldwide. “We are hoping to introduce fundamental innovations in liberal arts education that could serve as a model for others in Asia, and that may help reshape approaches in existing institutions including Yale itself,” said Prof. Kong.

However, as previously stated, YNC is the first liberal arts college in Singapore, though NUS is one of Asia’s top universities. That is, liberal arts education hasn’t been given importance in Asia. The social structure was pointed out as the factor for why Asia has a weak liberal arts education system. “In Europe, education is accomplished by the governments. Therefore, students who grew up in that environment feel a responsibility for society because they owe it,” said Ko, In-hwan, Associate Professor of Humanitas College at Kyung Hee University. In other words, they naturally learn and acquire humanistic values which we are trying to learn from liberal arts education. “But compared to most European countries, Asian countries value quantity before quality, and no spare time to take care of the others. I think that’s why liberal arts education has not developed in Asia,” added Ko.


Nevertheless, the future of liberal arts education in Asia is bright. “A liberal arts education model is largely new to Asia. However, today, there are movements in East Asia to broaden specialized approaches to education,” said Lily Kong. The Humanitas College at Kyung Hee University is one of them. Kyung Hee University established it as the first liberal arts college in Korea this year, perceiving the need for liberal arts education. From when it was organized, it was different from existing courses. “Sometimes it takes 12 hours to have one meeting to discuss a textbook and 70 people in the meeting all had the chance to speak. If we cared only about time and money like the previous time, this process would not be acceptable,” said Ko, In-hwan. He emphasized that change is needed to make a success of liberal arts education in society as a whole. “Asian universities all have excellent students, teaching staff, and great capability to research. The only thing different from Western universities is the sense of embracing humanistic values,” said Ko.

It is true there has been no tradition of liberal arts education in Asia. However, as we’ve seen so far, change in Asia is being witnessed. Moreover, the new movements in Asia will make a new trend in liberal arts education: It’s time to carry on the revolution.