Fourteen departments that achieved the most outstanding results at Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) over the past year were selected.

JBNU conducted evaluations of 96 departments to systematically assess departmental quality and promote university development. It selected eight departments from the science and medical fields, five from the humanities and social sciences, and one from the arts and physical education fields, and held an award ceremony on January 31, 2012.

As a result of the selection, in the natural sciences category the Department of Housing Environmental Design, Department of Child Studies, Department of Animal Science, Division of Mechanical Design Engineering, Department of Landscape Architecture, School of Dentistry, Division of Science Education, and Department of Civil Engineering were selected as outstanding departments and received commendations.

Also, in the humanities the Department of Psychology, Department of Bioresource Distribution and Economics, Department of International Trade, Department of Korean Language & Literature, Department of Social Welfare, and Department of Dance, and in the arts and physical education category the Department of Dance, were honored as outstanding departments.

Unlike previous years, this departmental evaluation incorporated weighted external evaluation indicators, and the number of external peer universities for comparison was increased from 13 to 17 to enable a more objective assessment.

The evaluation found that the outstanding departments showed notable improvements in research outcomes and employment rates over the past year.

In particular, the Department of Bioresource Distribution and Economics showed strong growth in research outcomes. Papers per faculty member rose to 1.4, more than double previous levels. The Department of Korean Language & Literature showed a marked improvement in performance, with its employment rate increasing by 29.7% compared with 2011.

At the ceremony, President Seo Geoseok said, "Because of the tireless efforts of the outstanding departments, JBNU's competitiveness in 2012 was greatly enhanced." He added, "Going forward, let's concentrate our efforts to encourage healthy competition among departments through continuous evaluation and expanded incentives, so that it leads to improved competitiveness of the entire university."

Meanwhile, the outstanding departments were presented with a certification plaque, a metal nameplate, and a cash award of KRW 10,000,000.