Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) and Namwon City (Mayor Yang Chung-mo) will engage in close cooperation to develop the Namwon Glocal Campus, established through the Glocal University 30 Project, into an education and research hub for future strategic industries. 

In particular, the two institutions plan to identify education and research needs required by national mega-projects and regional strategic industries through their cooperation, and to actively reflect these needs in the operation of the Namwon Glocal Campus, a development that has drawn attention.

To this end, on the 23rd at 9:00 a.m. in Namwon City, JBNU President Yang O-bong and Namwon Mayor Yang Chung-mo signed a Memorandum of Understanding titled ‘Agreement for Training Regional Talent Linked to Growth Engines’. They agreed to expand the educational and research functions of the Namwon Glocal Campus and to foster a regional innovation ecosystem.

This agreement is significant as a new cooperation model that links a university's educational and research capabilities with the region in line with the policy known as ‘Create Ten Seoul National Universities’. The plan is to connect JBNU's academic capabilities with Namwon City's industrial and regional foundations to develop the Namwon Glocal Campus into a practical innovation hub that supports the region's growth engines.

First, the two institutions will expand educational and research functions that meet the demands of regional strategic industries to activate the Namwon Glocal Campus, and will systematically train regional talent based on these functions. Through industry-linked curricula, collaborative research, field training, and employment and startup support, they will create a foundation enabling young people to build expertise locally, apply their skills in regional industry sectors, and settle in the region.

They also agreed to actively cooperate on projects for training regional talent linked to growth-engine strategic industries and educational innovation, establishing regional industry–university–research cooperation systems, and identifying joint projects. Through these efforts, university achievements will translate into innovation in regional industries, and industrial demand will, in turn, be reflected in education and talent development, creating a virtuous cycle.

Namwon City has pledged KRW 6 billion in local funds to ensure smooth implementation of cooperation between the two institutions for ‘training regional talent linked to growth engines’. This financial support is expected to give new momentum to university–local government cooperation and regional co-prosperity.

President Yang O-bong said, ‘The Namwon Glocal Campus should develop beyond a space for training regional talent into a future innovation hub that connects national mega-projects with the region's strategic industries. Through this agreement, we will further enhance educational and research functions and create new growth opportunities for Namwon and Jeonbuk.’

Namwon Mayor Yang Chung-mo stated, ‘We will actively cooperate with JBNU so that the Namwon Glocal Campus can become a core asset that designs the region's future and leads industrial change. We will build an innovation ecosystem where young people, companies, and research institutions come together to create new opportunities in the region.’