GEEF

This session aims to showcase student-led social innovation projects that contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 and 4—Good Health & Well-Being and Quality Education. Through the Workstation program at Yonsei University’s Institute for Higher Education Innovation (IHEI), students have developed various initiatives to address healthcare and education challenges. This session will highlight their achievements and explore how similar models can be adopted in other institutions.

The discussion will focus on two key objectives:

1. Sharing student-driven social innovation projects that promote better healthcare access, mental health awareness, and inclusive education.

2. Exploring strategies to achieve SDGs 3 and 4 by integrating student-led initiatives into higher education systems.

The session will feature a panel discussion with experts and students, providing insights into how universities can empower students to drive social change. By examining real-world case studies and innovative solutions, this session aims to inspire other institutions, organizations, and policymakers to collaborate in bridging gaps in healthcare and education for a more sustainable future.

The Bridge Award Ceremony and Yonsei Graduate School session offer a platform for graduate students to showcase research achievements related to the SDGs. This session acknowledges the critical role that graduate students have as pioneers in solving globally interconnected problems and encourages active engagement in addressing global sustainability challenges. Moreover, this session fosters an environment of intellectual exchange and inspires the audience to think critically about topics related to the SDGs by taking meaningful action. 

This session aligns with the GEEF 2025 theme, “Time for Action: Bridging Divides for a Sustainable Future” by encouraging graduate students to explore topics related to the SDGs through proactive research. As future leaders, these students play a crucial role in identifying and assessing global challenges that need to be addressed. Hence, this session recognizes exemplary research efforts in SDGs related topics to inspire future leaders to take an interest in universal challenges and discover innovative solutions. In addition, this session plays an essential role in bridging divides and reinforcing the importance of global citizenship and inclusivity. By recognizing young researchers from developing regions such as South Asia, this session strives to mitigate global inequalities. The challenges associated with the SDGs transcend borders and demand collaborative solutions. Empowering underrepresented voices in the sustainability discourse ensures that diverse perspectives are included in the discussion.  Moreover, this session plays an important role in the Graduate School Innovation Project and BK21 Education Research Group. It also emphasizes the collaborative effort between the Ban Ki-Moon Foundation and Yonsei University to pursue their shared goal of fostering global leaders. 

Specifically, this session explores SDGs #7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 17  through the following topics:

• Electric vehicle charging scheduling with mobile charging stations

• Comparative analysis of the effects of waste shell aggregates on the material properties of cement mortar

• Balancing preservation and utilization: window retrofit strategy for energy efficiency in historic modern building

Ultimately, this session aims to foster academic innovation and bridge divides. These efforts would lead to advancement in academic discourse along with the birth of a new generation of motivated global leaders.