Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) has launched sector-specific innovation strategy consulting to generate tangible outcomes as it enters the third year of the Glocal University 30 project. JBNU held a "Glocal University Project Performance Enhancement Consulting Kick-off Meeting" at Jinsudang on the 10th.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the Glocal University Development Project Group, Konkuk University, Korea University, the National Institute for International Education, the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, Nine Labor Law Firm, the Korean Patent Attorneys Association, the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade, the Jeonbuk Research Institute, the Korea Educational Development Institute (KEDI), and the Jeonbuk Regional Industry Promotion Agency. Participants shared the project progress to date and discussed plans to carry out in-depth, phased consulting across each sector.

Selected for the Ministry of Education's Glocal University 30 project in 2023, JBNU has pursued innovation with core visions including building a community of local government, industry, academia, and research where people want to work and live; realizing a student-centered, barrier-free flagship university; and creating regions that attract and retain international students. In its third year, JBNU plans to establish systematic review procedures and strengthen momentum through sector-specific consulting to ensure these strategies yield concrete results.

The consulting committee will continuously review the feasibility, validity, and concreteness of the initiatives and detailed tasks JBNU has developed, and propose necessary areas for improvement. Based on input from its members, JBNU has identified a total of 10 initiatives and 24 detailed tasks across three areas—regional and industry–university collaboration innovation, educational innovation, and global innovation—and will progressively refine actionable strategies through this consulting process to link them to actual outcomes.

In the regional and industry–university collaboration area, JBNU will review progress and discuss necessary improvements for regional innovation cluster strategies such as establishing the JUIC Triangle (Saemangeum–Jeonju/Wanju–Iksan/Jeongeup), creating a joint campus for academic–research convergence, and operating a JBNU Regional Development Research Institute. The university will also continue advisory work to explore development directions for upcycling projects involving closed university sites, including remodeling the former Seonam University campus and establishing the Namwon Glocal Campus.

In the educational innovation area, JBNU will proceed with detailed, phased reviews of academic-structure reforms, including regionalization of recruitment units, a major elective autonomy system, convergence modular majors, a multi-major selection system, and the introduction of a digital competency certification system.

JBNU will also continue to seek expert advice on various educational innovation tasks such as sharing educational content, promoting cooperation and mutual growth among regional universities, and operating a Korean Language Institute at the Namwon Glocal Campus.

Finally, in the global innovation area, JBNU will continuously review the feasibility and strengthening measures for internationalization strategies, including establishing an international center, implementing practical training and internship programs for international students, operating global PBL, exporting overseas educational content, and running a Glocal Startup Center.

Consulting will also address detailed implementation plans for JBNU's stated goal of entering the QS Global Top 100.

Through this consulting, JBNU plans to establish a pre-inspection system in preparation for midterm and final evaluations. The university will focus on early diagnosis of risks that may arise during project implementation and on developing improvement measures.

Kuk Kyung‑su, Director of JBNU's Glocal University Development Project Group, said, "We will provide systematic, sector-specific consulting so that the Glocal University 30 project can lead to visible and sustainable outcomes in regional co-prosperity and university innovation. We will closely review each initiative and strategy to further specify JBNU's Glocal project strategy."