Hwaseong, Republic of Korea

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Strides in finance, technology and education

With the highest GDP per capita in the Gyeonggi Province, the city of Hwaseong has made significant strides within the realms of finance, technology and education. Its Smart City International Standard label, the Hwaseong Lifelong Learning Centre and the ‘Our Neighbourhood Fine Arts’ initiative demonstrate a dedication to promoting a culture of lifelong learning in the city.  

Vision and Strategy

Lifelong learning is key to enhancing regional integration, building a sustainable global learning environment in the city, and upskilling communities through job-related training. Hwaseong wants to work with the GNLC to share policies, create partnerships, and engage in mutual learning opportunities with member cities. Our lifelong learning strategy involves prioritizing education in order to achieve the SDGs, engaging in the GNLC, and creating a city that focuses on learning for health and the environment. 

Policies, Plan and Implementation

Sustainability and health

• The Action Plan for Sustainable Development for Future Generations promotes sustainability and citizens’ health. It raises awareness of healthy eating habits; integrates the concept of well-being into university curricula; promotes environmental projects (e.g. protecting Hwaseong’s coastal ecosystem, reducing microparticles in the air, and establishing the Hwaseong Green School).

Equity and inclusion

• The slogan ‘Benefit All’ stands for the provision of lifelong learning for all, at any time and anywhere. Marginalized populations are supported through initiatives such as basic literacy programmes, night schools for the disabled, and environment and health programmes for older people in rural areas. SMEs are also supported through specialized learning programmes. 

Decent work and entrepreneurship

• Hwaseong City’s 17 Major Projects for Sustainable Development (2021) prioritize decent work. Workers aged 40s–60+ can enrol in the Hwaseong Life School, and SMEs are provided with human resource development opportunities for upskilling and reskilling purposes. Furthermore, small business owners are offered entrepreneurship and management training.  

Good practices

Neighbourhood lifelong learning centres

• Hwaseong has set up learning centres close to citizens’ homes in order to alleviate transport challenges and enhance the accessibility of education. This initiative aims to establish 50 learning centres by 2022.  

Project to bridge gaps in lifelong learning participation

• To address accessibility challenges, Hwaseong is establishing a network linking the city with six educational institutions. It will seek to increase the number of participating institutions to 12 by 2022. 

Hwaseong lifelong scholarship policy

• A first in the Republic of Korea, this scholarship will provide KRW 300,000 per person to 3,300 residents through a pilot project. The initiative seeks to give low-income families access to learning opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach due to financial constraints.