Since 2020, Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) (President Yang O-bong), which has been strengthening research capabilities in core academic fields and training specialized personnel through the Phase 4 BK21 Project, held the ‘JBNU BK21 FOUR Achievements Forum & Academic Research Exhibition’ on the 25th at the New Silk Road Center Donghaeng Hall to review the project outcomes from the past year.

JBNU has set the vision of an "Innovative, Leading Glocal Graduate School Cultivating Creative High-Level Talent" through the Phase 4 BK21 Project. Twenty-one education and research groups (teams) are participating. The university is concentrating investment to enhance graduate students’ capacities in education, research, industry–university collaboration, and internationalization to strengthen research capabilities in core academic fields and to train specialized personnel. JBNU’s BK21 Project will receive KRW 2 billion annually over seven years through 2027, and involves 234 faculty members, 704 graduate students, and 29 early-career researchers.

At the forum, Jeon Hyung-min, Deputy Vice-President of the Graduate School Innovation Division and the Office of Research, presented the achievements of the BK Project over the past year. Nine education and research groups (teams), including the Semiconductor Chemical Engineering Education and Research Group (Director Yoon Young-sang), each presented their outstanding research achievements.

In the exhibition lobby, JBNU showcased representative research outcomes from the 21 education and research groups (teams) of its BK21 Project, demonstrating that JBNU’s graduate school is conducting world-class core research.

An award presentation ceremony was also held to congratulate and encourage early-career researchers Choi Jong-won (Researcher, Semiconductor Chemical Engineering Education and Research Group) and Im Min-woo (Researcher, Nano-Convergence Energy Innovative Materials and Components Talent Development Project Group), who received Minister of Education Commendations last year as outstanding participants in the Phase 4 BK21 Project.

JBNU has established itself as a leader among the 20 universities nationwide selected for the Phase 4 BK21 Graduate School Innovation Project supported by the Ministry of Education and the National Research Foundation of Korea. Through the Phase 4 BK21 Project, JBNU’s 2022 STEM publications showed marked qualitative improvement: 62.69% were in the JCR top 10% and 71.64% were in Q1 journals.

Song Cheol-gyu, Dean of the Graduate School and Executive Vice-President of Research, said, "The outstanding research outcomes produced through this project will serve as an important stepping stone for our university to secure world-class research competitiveness. Based on these excellent research achievements, we will continue to support the smooth progress of all research and make greater efforts to elevate JBNU’s standing as a research-oriented university."