JBNU's research funding per full-time faculty member was the highest among flagship national universities. According to an analysis of this year's university information disclosure, JBNU's research funding per full-time faculty member in 2024 was KRW 172.19 million, ranking first among flagship national universities.

These achievements in faculty research were also prominent in the recently released 2025 JoongAng Ilbo university rankings. In that evaluation, JBNU ranked first among flagship national universities for external research funding per faculty member and third nationwide for internal research funding per faculty member, clearly demonstrating its national research competitiveness. The university is accelerating its transition to a research-focused university.

Since President Yang O‑bong's inauguration, JBNU has improved its research ecosystem over the past three years by securing major national R&D programs, strengthening graduate research capacity, enhancing researcher support, and pursuing regional innovation research linked with local research institutions. Observers evaluate that these long‑term structural reforms have produced tangible results in the recent assessment.

This achievement is seen as the result of the university's comprehensive efforts to expand research infrastructure, including the Glocal University 30 initiative, establishment of a semiconductor joint research center, BK21 graduate school innovation, and RISE-linked regional innovation research. By consecutively winning large national R&D programs, JBNU has significantly strengthened its research support systems — including laboratory equipment, shared research spaces, and support for collaborative research with overseas scholars — actively supporting faculty research activities.

In particular, JBNU aims to place at least five academic fields within the global top 100 within ten years. It is concentrating on a total of 10 disciplines: five leading fields — materials science; agriculture and forestry; chemical engineering; mechanical, aerospace and manufacturing engineering; and environmental science — and five leap fields — physics and astronomy; life sciences; electrical and electronic engineering; chemistry; and medicine.

Chemical engineering, environmental engineering, polymer science, and physical chemistry are already ranked within the global top 100. In this year's QS World University Rankings by Subject, 15 academic fields entered the ranked list, up from 11 last year. Veterinary medicine and petroleum engineering placed within the top 100.

After being selected for the Glocal University 30 initiative, JBNU set a goal to enter two subject areas into the top 100 and four into the top 200 by 2025. Having already achieved this target, the university is making entry into the 'Global Top 100 Universities' a reality.

Additionally, the 4th phase BK21 program and graduate school innovation programs have systematically supported graduate students' research capacity. Initiatives such as international collaborative research and interdisciplinary research have also contributed to improved research performance indicators.

In particular, through the RISE project with Jeollabuk‑do Special Self‑Governing Province, JBNU has been continually seeking links between university research capabilities and regional strategic industries such as agro‑life and bio, defense, and secondary batteries. Most recently, selection as a participating university in the K‑STAR visa track has established a foundation for outstanding foreign researchers to stay long‑term and conduct research, and it is expected to further strengthen the international competitiveness of research personnel.

President Yang O‑bong said, 'Research is the university's future competitiveness and a core driver of regional and national development,' adding, 'We will further advance the research, education, and industry–university collaboration system based on the Glocal University 30 initiative, the semiconductor joint research center, BK21, and RISE, and strive to leap forward as a global Top 100 research‑intensive university.'