The Knowledge Center for Innovative Higher Education(KCIHE)
Launches the 2025 S-Global Challenger Program to Tackle Global Issues
▲The 'jji-rit jji-rit” team, which explored the development of an early wildfire detection system in the U.S.
From August 3 to September 12, the Knowledge Center for Innovative Higher Education(KCIHE, Director Professor Lee Se-young) ran the S-Global Challenger overseas exploration program. This program offered students a chance to directly investigate global social issues, helping them gain hands-on experience, find solutions to various problems, and grow into global leaders.
Six teams were selected through a rigorous process to participate this year. They traveled abroad to research diverse topics, including early wildfire detection, improving disaster housing, food culture inclusivity, regenerating historical and cultural spaces, developing communication platforms, and archiving local cultures. By visiting government agencies, research institutes, universities, companies, and social organizations in countries like the UK, Ireland, the U.S., and Sweden, they learned problem-solving strategies and broadened their global perspectives through discussions with local experts and on-site experiences.
The 'jji-rit jji-rit' team went to the U.S. to research the development of an early wildfire detection system using IoT sensor networks and AI-based image analysis. They conducted in-depth interviews with wildfire response researchers at Stanford University and the University of California, Davis, and shared the latest research findings at the Wildfire Research Center at San Jose State University. They also attended local tech exhibitions and visited companies to see how advanced technology is applied, confirming the practical feasibility of their research topic.
▲The 'RE:home' team, which investigated co-housing complexes in Sweden
The 'RE:home' team traveled to Sweden to improve modular housing for disaster victims. They interviewed residents at well-known co-housing complexes to study the characteristics of community-based housing models and received academic advice from researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Chalmers University of Technology. This helped them create concrete strategies for sustainable housing improvements applicable in disaster situations.
▲ The 'Doenjang Is Not a Joke!' team, which explored ways to help Muslim international students adapt to Korean food culture in the UK
The 'Doenjang Is Not a Joke!' team went to the UK to find strategies for creating an inclusive campus that helps Muslim international students adapt to Korean food culture. They attended a local Halal festival to hear diverse perspectives and met with student services staff at major UK universities to explore how to provide K-Halal meals on campus and the challenges involved. They also worked with religious and cultural organizations to analyze the needs of Muslim students and find practical solutions.
▲ The 'Yeoksa Jom Ail’ team, which explored historical and cultural sites in Ireland
The 'Yeoksa Jom Ail' team investigated historical and cultural sites in Ireland to create a community-based docent program to restore the historical significance of Seoul's Tapgol Park. They participated in citizen-led guided tours at major historical sites in Dublin to experience the educational and cultural impact of docents. They also studied models of citizen-led historical tours by visiting Trinity College, Dublin Castle, and other guided tour programs. Based on their findings, they planned new participatory history programs for Tapgol Park.
▲ The 'HERMES' team, which participated in a rocket launch competition in Nevada, U.S.
The 'HERMES' team, with the theme "Launching Communication," participated in an amateur rocket launch competition in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. They explored the potential for a new communication platform by launching rockets containing questions and answers and experienced global collaboration by interacting with event staff and international students. They then moved to San Francisco to visit universities and conduct on-site research related to their project.
▲ The 'Re:cord' team, which explored archival institutions in the UK
The 'Re:cord' team traveled to prominent UK archival institutions to develop strategies to counter the crisis of disappearing local cultures. They visited the British Library, the London Archives, and the Screen and Sound Archive, among others, to study how materials are preserved and used, and they conducted interviews with experts. This helped them underscore the importance of archiving local culture and outline a strategy for cultural preservation through citizen participation.
After their trips, each team will continue their research based on the experiences and knowledge they gained. Their research will be compiled into a report and reviewed by a panel of experts, with a comprehensive evaluation scheduled for the final presentation in December. Additionally, videos of the students' activities and other digital content will be produced and released on The Knowledge Center for Innovative Higher Education's YouTube channel.
"The experience students gained by tackling problems directly in other countries will be a valuable asset for their future studies and lives," said Lee Se-young, director of The Knowledge Center for Innovative Higher Education, "We hope this program serves as a significant turning point for them to grow into global leaders."
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