A researcher of Jeonbuk National University's Institute for Regional Development holds a presentation on a development strategy of Namwon City, North Jeolla Province, in August 2024. Courtesy of Jeonbuk National University
Jeonbuk National University's Institute for Regional Development has emerged as a key regional think tank and implementation hub for addressing local challenges and fostering strategic industries, the school said Tuesday.
The university set up the institute in 2023 to build a cooperation framework among government, industry, academia and research institutions as part of the government-led “Glocal University 30” project designed to support 30 selected universities located in nonmetropolitan areas.
The university said the institute has created a region-specific implementation system centered on local hub research centers, including the Namwon Development Institute, the Wanju Research Institute and the Iksan Animal Healthcare Research Institute.
It added that the implementation framework integrates policy research, business support, industry collaboration and strategic responses to government-led development projects.
“Our university is closely connecting policy, industry and businesses so that it can serve as an implementation platform that goes beyond academic research,” said Yang O-bong, president of the university. “We will continue to expand our field-oriented policy support and build a framework in which the university and local communities can grow together.”
The institute has worked to institutionalize a collaborative model that integrates the university’s academic expertise and research infrastructure to complement the limited research capacity of local governments.
The university said that through cooperation with Namwon City and Wanju County in North Jeolla Province, the institute has facilitated the enactment of ordinances on university-government collaboration, laid the foundation for securing public funding and integrated a university-centered policy support system into the local governance structure.
The institute is currently conducting 21 policy research projects through its four regional research centers, further strengthening connections with the region’s strategic industries. It has also broadened its collaborative network by hosting policy forums, operating advisory committees and signing memorandums of understanding with various organizations.
Professors and researchers hold a seminar to discuss the feasibility of creating a second Central Police Academy in Namwon City, North Jeolla Province, in this undated photo. Courtesy of Jeonbuk National University
Source: Korea Times News
