Cooperative systems for environmental health and the training of specialized personnel in Jeollabuk‑do will be further strengthened. JBNU‑operated Jeollabuk‑do Environmental Health Center (Director Kim Yong‑hyun) and Jeollabuk‑do Environmental Education Center (Director Kwak Dong‑hee) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at Jisandang at JBNU at 3:00 PM on the 15th, agreeing to establish a sustainable collaborative foundation for environmental health education.

Through the agreement, the two institutions plan to expand cooperation in various areas, including jointly planning and operating an environmental health instructor training program; strengthening instructor capabilities and establishing a talent pool; and advising on the development and implementation of educational content. They also set a shared goal of strengthening an education‑centered cooperative system and contributing to the enhancement of environmental health capacity in the local community.

The two institutions have already established a cooperative framework since 2024 and have been carrying out various joint projects, such as building a specialized talent pool for environmental health education, co‑hosting a symposium to strengthen children’s environmental health safety, and organizing capacity‑building workshops. Last year, they broadened their cooperation by jointly hosting an environmental health education instructors' meeting and risk communication capacity‑building training.

In particular, this agreement was pursued to reorganize the inter‑institutional cooperative framework and to secure the continuity and stability of existing collaborative projects following the new appointment of Professor Kwak Dong‑hee (Department of Bio‑Convergence Science, JBNU) as Director of the Jeollabuk‑do Environmental Education Center from 2026. This development is significant in that it stabilizes the cooperative framework between the two institutions and solidifies a sustained foundation for collaboration.

This year, they plan to jointly operate an advanced environmental health instructor capacity‑building course (10 sessions). The Environmental Education Center will support recruitment of candidates with expertise in environmental education, while the Environmental Health Center will be responsible for program planning and implementation, thereby enhancing effectiveness through a division of roles.

Kim Yong‑hyun, Director of the Jeollabuk‑do Environmental Health Center, stated, "This agreement will serve as an opportunity to systematically establish a regional environmental health education ecosystem beyond mere cooperation. Through sustained collaboration, we will contribute to raising public awareness of environmental health and to training specialized personnel."

Kwak Dong‑hee, Director of the Jeollabuk‑do Environmental Education Center, also said, "We will build a new collaborative model for systematic, integrated education on the climate crisis and health. Furthermore, through this effort, we will substantially strengthen the local community's capacity to respond to environmental health challenges." 

Meanwhile, the two institutions plan to continue strengthening their cooperative framework through regular consultations and joint project implementation going forward.