Jeonbuk National University Commences Full-Scale Efforts to Strengthen Innovation and Startup Capabilities in Colombia… Establishing Global Startup Cooperation Base in Bogotá

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Dispatch of 14 Members of the 4th KOICA Project Volunteer Group… Supporting the Establishment of SENA’s Innovation Startup Education System

Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) has officially launched an international cooperation project aimed at strengthening innovation and startup capabilities, based in Bogotá, Colombia. JBNU has dispatched 14 members of the 4th KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) Project Volunteer Group to Bogotá to promote a project focused on strengthening innovation startup education capabilities, centering on the National Apprenticeship Service (SENA). This dispatch marks a significant starting point for implementing JBNU’s international development cooperation expertise on the ground, laying the foundation for a long-term cooperation project scheduled to span the next three years.

The dispatched volunteer group is tasked with establishing SENA’s innovation startup education system in stages, starting with an initial local baseline survey, followed by setting up startup spaces, securing necessary equipment, and planning and operating startup idea competitions. Specifically, they will operate a startup idea contest targeting approximately 500 current and former SENA students across Colombia to discover a total of 30 promising startup ideas and implement a program that links these ideas to actual business creation. JBNU plans to enhance the self-sustainability of the local startup ecosystem by organically connecting startup education, practical training, and business commercialization support throughout this process.

JBNU is scheduled to dispatch additional startup experts to Colombia in February of next year to strengthen commercialization support for the selected ideas. Alongside technology-innovation-focused startup support, various cultural exchange programs—such as Taekwondo classes, Korean food cooking classes, and calligraphy programs—are being concurrently operated to foster mutual understanding and trust between the youth of both countries. This dual approach, combining entrepreneurship and cultural exchange, is evaluated as a foundation for building a long-term cooperative relationship beyond short-term results.

The project is being managed by Moon Kyoung-yun, Director of JBNU’s International Development Cooperation Center, as the Project Manager, in consortium with the Korea International Development Cooperation Center (KIDC). JBNU plans to systematically strengthen SENA’s innovation startup education capabilities and support the sustainable economic development of the Colombian region by establishing a technology-innovation-based startup ecosystem through the selection and dispatch of volunteer members over six times until 2028. This project is a key KOICA cooperation initiative aimed at strengthening the entrepreneurial capabilities and improving the employment environment for Colombian youth, and it is also expected to contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly ‘Quality Education’ and ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth.’

Director Moon Kyoung-yun stated that “This dispatch holds pivotal significance at the starting point of the project,” and committed to building an achievement-based system that can substantially enhance the entrepreneurial capabilities of local youth. JBNU plans to continue expanding its expertise and accountability in international development cooperation, as well as fostering sustainable cooperation models, based on its capabilities as a flagship national university.

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#JeonbukNationalUniversity #Colombia #KOICA #InternationalDevelopmentCooperation #GloCalUniversity #StartupEducation #InnovationStartup