The Knowledge Center for Innovative Higher Education Hosts 11th S-Global Challenger Achievement Sharing Session
- -Exploring Global Challenges and Seeking Creative Solutions
On Friday, November 29, the Knowledge Center for Innovative Higher Education successfully hosted the 11th S-Global Challenger Achievement Sharing Session at the R&E Lounge, International Hall, Humanities and Social Sciences Campus. The event celebrated students’ efforts to experience global challenges firsthand, share their problem-solving processes, and reflect on their growth and achievements.
The S-Global Challenger program provides students with opportunities to gain in-depth understanding of global issues and explore innovative solutions. This year, a total of 404 students from 61 departments applied, and after a rigorous selection process, six teams comprising 27 participants were chosen. These teams visited government agencies, research institutes, universities, companies, and NGOs abroad to experience diverse global challenges and propose creative solutions.
The projects presented at the achievement sharing session were brimming with innovative ideas. The Grand Prize went to the team “Frog Outside the Well”, which proposed an eco-city design that integrates biodiversity considerations to protect the endangered Suwon tree frog. The team also authored storybooks and essays to raise public awareness about biodiversity, which will soon be published. Their research during their exploration of Sydney, Australia, analyzed specific examples of biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration, adapting these insights to a Korean context.
¡øGrand Prize Winners: “Frog Outside the Well”
The Excellence Award was awarded to “Together We Care”, a team that developed a program to enhance emotional stability and quality of life for seniors with cognitive decline by fostering interactions with retired service dogs. During their exploration in the UK, the team studied animal welfare and rehabilitation program case studies, which informed their detailed proposals for strengthening human-animal interactions.
¡øExcellence Award Winners: “Together We Care”
The Outstanding Award went to “Finishing Touch”, a team focused on addressing environmental pollution and food inequality through a food waste trading platform. Inspired by Denmark's “Too Good To Go” initiative, they proposed a platform tailored to Korea’s needs, aimed at reducing food waste and enhancing resource circulation. Their visit to Denmark included in-depth analysis of environmental protection policies and implementation practices to refine their project.
¡øOutstanding Award Winners: “Finishing Touch”
The remaining teams also made significant contributions to solving global challenges with their unique projects: “We Are Strong” developed a campaign and ambassador program for university students to strengthen drug abuse prevention education. “Noise Cancelling” researched Harmony Space, a design concept utilizing non-auditory senses to ensure accessibility and economic feasibility for individuals with hearing impairments. “Seeterature: Seeing Culture” aimed to foster cultural exchange and enhance global communication through diverse visual content, promoting international understanding.
The activities of the 11th cohort will be showcased on Sungkyunkwan University's official YouTube channel and documented in films and short documentaries. These works will debut at an on-campus screening, serving to highlight the university’s innovative educational model both domestically and internationally.
Lee Se-young, Director of the Knowledge Center for Innovative Higher Education, remarked, “The S-Global Challenger program provides students with invaluable opportunities to experience global challenges within diverse cultural and environmental contexts, encouraging them to explore creative and practical solutions. The passion and achievements demonstrated by the students in this program will serve as a foundation for leading social change, contributing significantly to building a sustainable society through this innovative educational model.”
List
