[보도] 자유기업원, 템플턴 자유상 수상

자유기업원(원장 김정호)은 ‘대학생 시장경제강좌’ 등을 통한 시장경제 교육 활동의 성과를 인정받아 ‘템플턴 자유상’을 수상했다.
템플턴 자유상은 2003년 9월 미국의 ‘존 템플턴 재단’으로부터 기부금을 받아 창설됐으며, 환경이 척박한 곳에서 자유주의와 시장경제 사상을 전파하는 연구자와 단체를 발굴해 시상해 왔다.
자유기업원은 2005년에도 ‘템플턴 자유상 우수단체 분야’의 상을 받은 바 있다.

다음은 템플턴 재단의 기관지 2006년 판으로 2005년 자유기업원의 템플턴 자유상 수상소식을 다루고 있다.

[본문내용]

CENTER FOR FREE ENTERPRISE

CEO/Executive Director : Chung-Ho Kim
Main Policy Area : Regulatory reform, land policy, antitrust reform, tax reform, education policy, etc.
Main Programs : Free Market Education Course for undergraduate students
Number of Employees : 10
Annual Budget : US $2,000,000
Founded : 1997
Mission : Dissemination of free-market principles and liberalism

In the Center for Free Enterprise(CFE) application, the institute noted that " 'free market' is a term that we frequently see, but in reality, each Korean has a different[understanding] and politicians come up with policies on the basis of different economic knowledge." CFE created a course for undergraduate students at more than twenty Korean universities to provide a basic definition of the free market, its principles, and how it operates. In 2005, over 4,000 undergraduates took part in CFE's course.

The semester-long "Free Market Education Course" has contributed highly to undergraduate students' understanding of free-market principles. Faculty discusses free-market principles, the morality of capitalism, regulation, the welfare state, free trade, the dangers of environmentalism, etc. The course focuses on the real economy, rather than difficult economic theories, so that students can easily figure out the dynamics of the free market.

One prize judge noted CFE's innovation in creating successful partnership with universities, since "the Center has specifically designed their courses to take place within the framework of the universities. This is very impressive and is evidence of increased involvement among its targeted audience."