Students from the Department of Social Welfare and the Department of Public Administration at Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) successfully completed a 'Global PBL (Project-Based Learning) training program' in collaboration with the College of Law in Sydney, Australia. The students directly explored issues in multicultural societies, public administration, and social welfare, strengthening their capacity to address international problems.

The training was attended by Department of Social Welfare professors Yoon Myung-sook and Jeong Kyu-hyung, and Department of Public Administration professors Min Kyung-sun and Choi Han-byul. A total of 16 participants took part, including eight students from each department.

After five days of preparatory study in Korea, the students traveled to Australia for an eight-night, ten-day program to engage in academic exchanges and field training with local experts.

The program was delivered using a project-based learning (PBL) approach that critically analyzes complex public problems and derives practical solutions. Participants broadened their understanding of public governance and community welfare by comparing the legal, administrative, and social policy environments of Korea and Australia.

Lectures and discussions featuring local researchers and practitioners covered topics such as Australian government policy and administrative management, fiscal soundness in the public sector, trauma-informed services, and multiculturalism.

In particular, technology-policy topics such as 'AI Applications in Social Protection' and 'Algorithmic Government in the AI Era' received strong interest from the students.

The students participated in a mini-PBL workshop on housing stability and visited major institutions, including the New South Wales Parliament (NSW Parliament), to observe local public service systems and policy sites. On the final day of the program, each team presented a final report analyzing the root causes of the public administration and social welfare issues they had identified and proposing policy alternatives.

Kim Hyun-jin, a third-year student in the Department of Social Welfare, said, "I learned that social welfare is not just theory but a process of connecting diverse perspectives to solve real problems. It was a meaningful experience that broadened my view of social welfare." Kim Dae-young, a third-year student in the Department of Public Administration, added, "In analyzing and solving problems from multiple angles, I realized that active communication and the willingness to accept others' perspectives are more important than linguistic perfection."

This training was overseen by Yoon Myung-sook, Executive Vice-President of Foreign Affairs and Professional Affairs, who said, "The program was a meaningful opportunity for students to broaden their international perspective, understand differences in the policy environments of the two countries, and seek practical solutions on their own. We will continue to expand international exchanges and support so that students can grow into public and social welfare professionals with global capabilities."