Amid rising risks to crop production caused by climate change and expanded international trade, the Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) Graduate School of Plant Quarantine, which trains specialists in pest and disease management and quarantine, is recruiting its third cohort of new students.

The Graduate School of Plant Quarantine is a specialized graduate school established by a consortium of three universities—Jeonbuk National University (JBNU), Kyungpook National University, and Chonnam National University—after being selected for the "Agrifood Technology Convergence Creative Talent Training Project" supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. It trains specialists capable of diagnosing, identifying, and controlling pests and diseases to ensure food security, and it also provides retraining for field personnel.

Applications will be accepted from December 11 to 20. An oral examination will be held on January 5, 2024, and final successful candidates will be announced on January 12, 2024. Application forms can be downloaded from the Graduate School of Plant Quarantine website (https://gpq.jbnu.ac.kr/gpq/index.do).

At the Graduate School, the lead university JBNU is responsible for "Establishing an AI-Based Pest Management System," Kyungpook National University will handle "Development of Quarantine Pest Management Technologies," and Chonnam National University will take charge of "Development of Integrated Crop Pest Control Technologies," with specialized education provided in each field. JBNU will handle pest and disease surveillance, Kyungpook National University will be responsible for quarantine, and Chonnam National University for control measures. The three universities will run common courses delivered through online and face-to-face laboratory and practicum sessions.

In particular, the program selects problem-solving topics as research project themes to establish a teaching method that creates a virtuous cycle between education and research. It provides comprehensive support necessary for training specialists and strives to cultivate plant quarantine experts.

Baek Seung-woo, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Director of the Graduate School of Plant Quarantine, said, "The Graduate School of Plant Quarantine is securing core technologies related to pest and disease management and quarantine, and based on success stories, is actively training professionals who can provide one-stop solutions to on-site problems in agricultural production. We will further sophisticate the specialized educational curriculum so that these new students can grow into outstanding talents in pest and disease quarantine and management."