Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) reaffirmed its status among the nation’s Top 10 universities by receiving high scores in educational environment and current student satisfaction in the Kyunghyang Shinmun university evaluation.

According to the results of the '2012 University Sustainability Index' survey released on November 27, 2012 by the Kyunghyang Shinmun's Economic Research Institute for a Sustainable Society (ERISS), JBNU ranked 5th nationwide in educational environment, following Seoul National University and POSTECH, and was recognized as the ninth most sustainable university domestically. Among regional national flagship universities, it placed second, after Pusan National University.

In addition, JBNU ranked 5th nationwide in the overall 'Student Life Satisfaction' evaluation. This further demonstrated that the university provides high satisfaction to students, following its No. 1 nationwide placement in the Korea Standards Association's service satisfaction survey this year and its 6th place nationwide in educational environment in the JoongAng Ilbo university evaluation.

In particular, JBNU ranked first nationwide for the number of student counseling sessions for the second consecutive year, maintaining its reputation as the university with the most interactions between faculty and students. It also received high scores across the board, including 3rd place nationally for student cafeteria satisfaction and 7th for faculty feedback.

The strong scores in this evaluation are attributed to JBNU's focus on strengthening students' educational competitiveness. The university has not spared investment in improving educational conditions and in reinforcing basic and major education through the ACE Project and its selection for the Educational Capacity Enhancement Project for five consecutive years.

In particular, despite implementing the largest tuition reduction this year among regional flagship national universities, JBNU substantially increased scholarships so that seven out of ten students receive financial aid. The expansion of modern residence halls accommodating 4,200 students and additional study rooms, as well as remodeling student cafeterias and diversifying menus, have significantly enhanced student welfare and contributed to high student satisfaction.

Also, JBNU's unique mentoring program, the 'Lifelong Faculty Advisor System,' provides continuous counseling on university life and career from admission to graduation. The president's annual dialogue sessions with students, fostering close communication, also contributed to the positive evaluation.

Meanwhile, this evaluation was conducted through a comprehensive analysis of university sustainability by ERISS, Hyundai Research, and Young Entrepreneurs for a Sustainable Society (YeSS). It was subdivided into 'Social Responsibility 1'—which evaluated three areas: educational environment, educational expenses/tuition, and convenience—and 'Social Responsibility 2'—which assessed research, internationalization, communication/equity—and also included measures such as current students' university life satisfaction.