Have you ever thought that universities are boring and we might be able to make one that's not?
Well, my friends and I went ahead and started one. We call it Shoshin College and it’s here, in London, England — in-person only.
How can we be not boring? We're not sure; remains to be seen. We have heaps of new ideas and we'll be putting them to the test in the following months. Of course, one new kind of university is not nearly enough. If you are reading this, consider starting one too! We probably need 20 new kinds and maybe one will stick. We have some ideas to spark life but don’t feel contained — go wild with your own ideas!
Shoshin means beginner's mind in Japanese. It's a concept used in Zen Buddhism to signify an attitude of open possibilities. Shunryū Suzuki, in his book Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, writes:
In the beginner’s mind there is no thought, “I have attained something.” All self-centered thoughts limit our vast mind. When we have no thought of achievement, no thought of self, we are true beginners. Then we can really learn something.
Then we can really learn something. If that's your vibe, join us! The only requirement is to have a beginner's mindset.
We aim to have the following characteristics.
Universal: We embrace all domains and disciplines and invite everyone to teach and learn, regardless of background.
Inclusive: We believe in high quality work but also that anyone can do high quality work. We do not exclude people because of the quality of their work. We include them because we want them to improve.
In-person: There is tons of online learning material. What’s missing is humane interactions in a community of people.
Ever-fluctuating: We embrace iteration and invite change alongside experimentation and impermanence.
Unaccredited: We are trying something new and in order to explore it, we need not be tied down by the existing ways of how learning works today.
High-quality: We could succeed in starting a learning institution but what’s interesting is to make it high-quality and more importantly: higher quality than the current way of learning institutions.
Low-cost: Wealth inequality contributes to a decreasing average quality of life for the Western resident. We are not interested in adding to this.
Values: Inclusivity. Craftsmanship. Playfulness. Generosity. Democracy. Exploration. Community.
Read more about our philosophy and our values on our website: https://shoshincollege.org/
...and subscribe to our Substack for course announcements as they come out in the next couple of months! https://shoshincollege.substack.com/