Wissen is derived from the German root word Wissenschaft. Wissenschaft (as defined in the OED), refers to the systematic pursuit of knowledge, learning, scholarship and science, and while often translated directly into english as “science”, encompasses a much broader meaning than its english counterpart.

The term “wissenschaft” has been used by philosophers and educators alike, used by Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) in his Critique of Judgement where he critiqued its characterization in the concept of "schöne Wissenschaften" ("fine sciences"). The “fine sciences” promoted the principle that value-laden concepts such as beauty, form and aesthetics were classical education's central points of focus. Kant proposed instead that true science should “deal exclusively with knowledge that was obtainable by the application of strict methods and therefore determinable with complete certainty”. "True science", he wrote, is "only that [science], whose certainty is apodictic".

In creating his ideal model of a university, Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) essentially proposes that the university “is the visible form of an essentially other, invisible "spirit," "idea," or "reason"- Wissenschaft”. Wissenschaft thus took the shape of the 19th century concept of "wissenschaftliche Bildung" ("scientific education") where education was idealized as being fulfilled when scholars and students were offered scope to educate their minds by exploring the harmonious and coherent totality of human knowledge through disinterested research.

Wissen Learning thus aims to bring to fruition this ambitious ideal of education - one that explores the totality of knowledge encompassing the humanities and the natural sciences, striving to provide excellent general education as a springboard to contributing to the existing body of knowledge