2024 Korea CEO Leadership Award (12) Yang O-bong, President of Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) 

'Student-Centered, Regional Co-Prosperity' JBNU Soars to the World 

Yang O-bong, President of Jeonbuk National University (JBNU), was named in the 'Talent Management' category. Previously, in the JoongAng Ilbo's '2023 University Comprehensive Evaluation,' JBNU ranked first among non-metropolitan and regional national universities. It was also the only university in the Jeonbuk region selected for the 'Glocal University 30 Project.' JBNU has been evaluated as an excellent institution for student educational conditions, having ranked first among provincial national universities in the Service Quality Index assessment for five consecutive years since 2019. These achievements are largely attributable to President Yang's student-centered innovation plan, which consolidated admission units to allow students to freely choose desired majors, and to his region-tailored strategies for co-prosperity with local communities.

President Yang plans to transform JBNU into a 'student-centered university' through the Glocal University 30 Project. To this end, he intends to consolidate the admission units of 106 departments into broader admission groups and admit freshmen without separation by major. He also plans to guarantee students' right to choose majors by expanding transfers, major changes, and double-major opportunities. The introduction of modular majors, operation of a major-choice system, and implementation of a digital competency education certification system will signal a shift toward a region-tailored modular academic structure.

President Yang plans to allocate KRW 50 billion of the Glocal project’s local budget to the specialization of universities in the Jeonbuk region. He aims to completely remove barriers between regional universities, open campuses, and create and share various educational content. He also plans to establish a Korean Language Institute and a startup incubator town. President Yang has consistently emphasized the importance of the Glocal University 30 Project, noting that building a Glocal campus greatly contributes to revitalizing the regional economy.