Jeonbuk National University (JBNU)'s academic-system reforms, implemented based on the Glocal University 30 Project, yielded tangible results in the 2026 admissions, confirmed by concrete figures. As the policy to expand students' choice of majors—centered on the consolidation of admission units into broader recruitment areas—has taken root steadily, key indicators such as applicant numbers, competition ratios, and admitted students' scores have all risen, demonstrating that the Glocal University 30 Project is being successfully implemented.

JBNU's analysis of the 2026 admissions results shows that early-admissions applicants increased by 884, from 23,876 in the 2025 academic year to 24,760 in the 2026 academic year. Accordingly, the overall competition rate rose from 7.6:1 to 7.8:1, indicating higher preference for the university.

Improvements were also confirmed in admitted students' scores. The average school-record grade of final enrollees increased from 3.79 in the 2025 academic year to 3.68 in the 2026 academic year. The applicants' average grade also improved from 4.22 to 4.17. In particular, average grades rose across major admission tracks of both the comprehensive student-record screening and the student-record (curriculum) screening—namely the Keun-saram Track, the General Student Track, and the Regional Talent Track—indicating an overall enhancement in the university's competitiveness that is not confined to specific departments.
 

This change is interpreted as a positive effect of the consolidation of admission units into broader regions, a key task of the Glocal University 30 Project. JBNU consolidated its previous 106 admission units into 46 and built a student-centered flexible academic structure, including selecting 2,920 students—approximately 75.9% of the total admission quota—under a no-major (undeclared) admission system. Expanding internal transfers and major-change processes and multi-major options so that students can choose majors after admission according to aptitude and career plans is also cited as a major change.

Stable operational results were also confirmed in the major allocation for the first cohort under the new system, the class of 2025. Of the 2,770 students eligible, 82.5% were assigned to their first-choice major. In a satisfaction survey conducted after major allocation, 54% answered 'very satisfied' and 28% 'satisfied', meaning 82% of respondents expressed satisfaction. The university assessed that acceptance of the system is at a high level.

Positive changes also appeared in academic persistence. The retention rate of students advancing to the second year from the class of 2025 was 62.7%, up 2.2 percentage points from the previous year (60.5%), marking a higher level than previous cohorts admitted under the admission-unit-based system.

Changes were also observed in the composition of incoming students. While maintaining its traditional focus on the Jeonbuk and Honam regions, the share of applicants and enrolled students from the Seoul metropolitan area and the Chungcheong region increased, expanding the university's nationwide recruitment base. This result indicates that JBNU is extending its influence beyond a regional hub university to the national level.

President Yang Oh-bong said, “The large-scale academic restructuring undertaken to create a student-centered university through the Glocal University 30 Project is producing a virtuous cycle of ‘increased applicants — higher competition rates — improved scores.’ To ensure stable settlement of the consolidation of admission units, we will establish multi-layered pathways for selecting majors—by expanding double majors and minors, raising the rate of transfers between programs and departments, and fully opening student-designed majors—and further advance the student-centered university system through education innovation and expanded major choice linked to industry demand.”