Jeju National University’s Strategic Planning Division is promoting a local challenge project. The reason why JNU created this project is to select one of the 17 core values of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) as a theme and to explore relevant community issues and seek out solutions. Out of these 17, the seven values that JNU chose were Agriculture, Health, Education, Water, Consumption and Production, Marine Ecosystem, and Land Ecosystem. Recently, the destruction of the natural environment is serious around the world, and Korea is experiencing a phenomenon such as rising sea levels.

And these seven types selected by JNU are those that directly affect Jeju-Do, which students at Jeju National University are feeling. The students who decided to apply for participating in this project said it would be a very meaningful effort. They said that they felt the challenge made it convenient to approach the environmental problems of the local community as projects, not in the same way as writing papers. Also, students who are usually interested in these topics and those who are majoring in similar areas were very interested in participating in this project to build up their career potentials. JNU has high expectations that it will result in local college students becoming more interested in local environmental issues and actively engaging in good effects through these projects.

All applications for the JNU Local Challenge were closed as of September 30. However, it is expected that Jeju National University will continue to implement more projects of the same nature in the future, as JNU must take the lead in environmental issues in Jeju. The Islander also hopes JNU Local Challenge to take a big step to solve the environmental problem in Jeju.