Jeonbuk National University (JBNU), which was selected in 2019 by the Ministry of Education as the lead institution for the 'Regional Leading University Development Project' and has been leading initiatives to cultivate outstanding talent and promote regional industrial development, has established an integrated education platform with regional innovation stakeholders to train excellent personnel in the region's strategic industries. JBNU is becoming a model of regional cooperation.

Five universities participating in the Regional Leading University Development Project, including JBNU, together with the National Pension Service, Korea Land and Geospatial Information Corporation, and the Foundation for Agricultural Technology Commercialization and Transfer, have for the first time this year established an "Innovation City Campus" to train outstanding talent in the region's strategic industries—agri-life, pension funds, and land information—and held an opening ceremony on the 10th to begin full-scale instruction.

JBNU has formed a platform encompassing 23 institutions in the Jeonbuk region—including universities, local governments, public institutions, and industry—and has implemented joint curricula and field training. The "Innovation City Campus" integrates the training programs that had previously been operated separately by each public institution.

Through this, the combined capabilities of the institutions are expected to greatly benefit students seeking positions at regional and relocated public institutions. It is expected to serve as a model case of cooperation among regional innovation actors—universities, local governments, and public institutions—working together to cultivate regional innovation talent in strategic industry sectors.

Particularly, if this cooperation among regional innovation actors becomes concrete, it is expected to have a positive effect on JBNU's efforts to attract the "Local Government–University Cooperation-Based Regional Innovation (RIS) Project."

The Innovation City Campus program, which officially began with the opening ceremony on the 10th, will include 200 students from JBNU as well as Gunsan University, Woosuk University, Wonkwang University, Jeonju University, and Jeju National University.

Various programs will be offered, including presentations on job duties and major projects of relocated public institutions in Jeonbuk, recruitment briefing sessions, employment lectures, and IT-linked training in related fields.

Going forward, JBNU will provide a one-stop education program—linked with relocated institutions—for local students who wish to work at regional relocated institutions. The program will offer professional certification training, mentoring, NCS  △interview preparation, and other components.

President Kim Dong-won said, "The Regional Leading University Development Project, through collaboration that brings together regional innovation actors, has cultivated talent reflecting the region's industrial characteristics in areas such as agri-life, pension funds, spatial information, and safety. It has built an integrated education platform involving industry to provide customized talent that companies need. Going forward, we will continue to create a virtuous cycle for regional development and serve as a stepping stone for Jeonbuk's progress."

Meanwhile, the 'Regional Leading University Development Project' has been advancing various initiatives—such as training for workforce development related to relocated public institutions—by receiving project funding through selection by the Ministry of Education as well as support from Jeollabuk-do, Jeonju City, Iksan City, Gunsan City, and Wanju County.