A regional national university and a metropolitan private university have embarked on building an industry–university–research collaboration model to lead national balanced development that transcends institutional boundaries. In addition to university-level cooperation, joint research and academic exchanges between the two universities' humanities and social science research institutes will be promoted, further expanding the scope of collaboration.

Jeonbuk National University (JBNU, President Yang O-bong) and Korea University (President Kim Dong-won) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the 24th in the First Conference Room on the first floor of Korea University’s Main Building to establish an Industry–University–Research Collaboration Hub to lead national balanced development.

This agreement was prepared to strengthen regional universities' capacities in education, research, and industry–university collaboration and to establish a win‑win cooperation system in which the metropolitan area and regional areas grow together, in line with the government's "Plan to Cultivate Regional Talent Linked to Growth Engines (Make 10 Seoul National Universities)" and other policies to foster regional national universities.

The two universities agreed to cooperate on establishing and operating branded colleges and specialized convergent research institutes linked to regional growth engines; building joint research and cooperation platforms related to fostering regional national universities and national balanced development; and preparing joint education and training systems to cultivate talent tailored to industry demand.

They will also pursue as major cooperation tasks joint R&D in AI-based future core technologies and convergence-type R&D planning; expansion of research infrastructure through shared use of testing and analytical equipment and research facilities; operation of employment and startup programs linked to local industries; and technology transfer and commercialization linkages.

The initiative is particularly significant because it combines JBNU's industry–university collaboration base, rooted in the regional industrial field, with Korea University's research infrastructure and R&D planning capabilities. It aims to be an execution-oriented cooperation model that goes beyond simple exchange to carry out joint education, research, and industry-linked projects in practice.

At the same time, JBNU's Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences (Director Yoon Myung-sook) and Korea University's Institute of Asian Studies (Director Lee Jin-han) also signed an MoU for academic exchanges and collaborative research in the humanities and social sciences.

Through this agreement, the two research institutes will identify and carry out joint research projects in the humanities and social sciences and jointly host domestic and international conferences, seminars, and workshops. They will also promote exchanges and mutual invitations of research personnel, including faculty, researchers, and graduate students.

This is noteworthy because it extends university collaboration, which has been concentrated in advanced technology and industry sectors, into the humanities and social sciences. It is expected to activate humanities and social research on regional issues, national balanced development, and social change, and to lay the groundwork for convergent research where technological innovation and social value are harmonized.

Yang O-bong, President of JBNU, said, "If the region-based research and industry–university collaboration capabilities accumulated by a regional national university are combined with Korea University's research infrastructure, we can create a new win‑win model in which the metropolitan area and regional areas grow together. We will operate this agreement substantively so that it becomes a practical starting point for national balanced development."

Korea University President Kim Dong-won also responded, "Cooperation that transcends university boundaries is the most certain way to enhance national R&D competitiveness," adding, "By combining the strengths of the two universities, we will present a new standard of collaboration in which regions and the nation develop together."