IGEE Proceedings

Shinki An

4 Articles

Student Involvement in SDG Projects: Seven Years of Yonsei University’s Social Engagement Fund (2018–2025): Sarah Soyeon Oh, In Han Song, Shinki An; IGEE Proc. 2025;2(3):178-183. Published online October 15, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.69841/igee.2025.023

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Background
The Institute for Global Engagement & Empowerment (IGEE) at Yonsei University established the Social Engagement Fund (SEF) in 2018 to align with institutional commitments to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study examines how IGEE's student-led projects as part of Yonsei University's SEF program have expanded SDG coverage over the past seven years and identifies factors contributing to improved integration across multiple goals.
Methods
We analyzed all 49 SEF projects implemented between 2018 and 2025, coding each project for SDG alignment and tracking coverage patterns over time. Annual SDG engagement was measured using two indicators: (1) the total number of SDGs addressed per year and (2) the average number of SDGs addressed per project.
Results
The number of SEF projects increased steadily from 5 in 2018 to 12 in 2025, reflecting growing student participation and institutional support. Over the same period, annual SDG coverage expanded from 9 total SDG mentions in 2018 to 59 in 2025, demonstrating a marked diversification of focus areas. The average number of SDGs addressed per project rose from 1.8 in the early years (2018–2021) to 4.9 in 2025, peaking at 8.3 in 2022. Early projects primarily centered on institutional and educational goals such as SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), while later years showed stronger engagement with SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Some goals—including SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 14 (Life Below Water)—remained relatively underrepresented.
Conclusions
Student engagement initiatives like SEF can significantly broaden and deepen SDG coverage through structured mentorship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and targeted project funding. By enabling applied, student-driven practice, IGEE’s SEF model demonstrates how universities can translate institutional SDG commitments into measurable and expanding impact across a wide range of sustainability goals.; Summary

Establishing the ESD and GCEd system in higher education: Analyzing the holistic approach of Yonsei University in South Korea: Jae Eun Shin, Eun Kyoung Rhee, Shinki An, Younah Kang, Keeheon Lee, In Han Song; IGEE Proc. 2024;1(1):6-19. Published online September 30, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.69841/igee.2024.002

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Purpose
This study assesses the Global Citizenship Education (GCEd) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) initiatives at the Yonsei Institute of Global Engagement and Empowerment (IGEE). The objective is to identify strengths and areas for improvement in promoting ESD and GCEd principles and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Design/Methodology/Approach: This research employs a comprehensive analysis framework to evaluate Yonsei IGEE's initiatives, including the "Understanding Sustainable Development with Ban Ki-moon" lectures, "Social Engagement Fund (SEF)" research program, "SDG Initiative," and "Global Engagement and Empowerment Forum (GEEF))." It considers objectives, environmental focus, pedagogical strategies, topic coverage, learning dimensions, and outcome measurement. Findings: Yonsei IGEE initiatives demonstrate strengths in terms of clear objectives, environmental focus, and pedagogical strategies. They complement each other, fostering synergy in promoting ESD and GCEd principles. The lecture series offers a holistic view of SDG issues, whereas SEF empowers students to address challenges practically. The SDG Initiative guides Yonsei's research community, and GEEF disseminates SDG knowledge and fosters collaboration. Originality: This study contributes originality in two aspects. First, it presents an innovative evaluation framework specifically designed to assess the diverse GCEd and ESD programs at Yonsei IGEE. This framework serves as a valuable tool for future evaluations of similar initiatives in higher education institutions. Second, the data and contents analyzed in this research, drawn from Yonsei IGEE's programs, are novel and provide unique insights into the efficacy of the GCEd and ESD efforts.

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Student Involvement in SDG Projects: Seven Years of Yonsei University’s Social Engagement Fund (2018–2025)
Sarah Soyeon Oh, In Han Song, Shinki An
IGEE Proceedings.2025; 2(3): 178. CrossRef

The Urgent Call for Academic Action: Rebooting SDGs to Reset Our Future: Shinki An; IGEE Proc. 2024;1(1):20-31. Published online September 30, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.69841/igee.2024.003

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This manuscript, presented at GEEF2024, emphasizes the critical role of academia in revitalizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address current global challenges. The SDGs, adopted in 2015, aim to eradicate poverty and promote sustainable development by 2030. However, progress has stalled due to financial constraints, governance issues, the COVID-19 pandemic, and geopolitical crises such as the Russian–Ukraine war. The COVID-19 pandemic has had multifaceted impacts, reversing poverty reduction trends and disrupting education and energy investments. It has also exacerbated social inequalities, leading to the conceptualization of COVID-19 as a syndemic, an ecodemic, and an econodemic. These terms highlight the pandemic's complex interplay with preexisting health issues, environmental degradation, and economic disparities. Geopolitical crises have further hindered SDG progress by disrupting food and energy supplies and diverting resources from sustainable development initiatives. Climate change, marked by unprecedented heatwaves and natural disasters, poses additional threats to achieving the SDGs. The need for carbon neutrality and effective international cooperation is more urgent than ever before. In this context, universities play a crucial role in advancing the SDGs through research, innovation, and community engagement. Engaged universities align their research agendas with the SDGs, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and developing solutions to global challenges. Yonsei University's Institute for Global Engagement and Empowerment (IGEE) exemplifies this approach with its Yonsei SDGs Initiative. By analyzing research outputs via natural language processing, the initiative aligns academic activities with SDGs, particularly in health and well-being. The GEEF2024 conference underscored the importance of innovative strategies and international cooperation in achieving the SDGs. Discussions highlighted the need to address mental health crises, low birth rates, and the care economy's undervaluation. The conference also emphasized the necessity of inclusive development strategies that reflect the perspectives and priorities of Africa and Asia. In conclusion, universities must integrate social engagement into their core missions to remain relevant and impactful. By prioritizing research, teaching, and services that contribute to sustainable development, academia can play a pivotal role in overcoming global challenges and achieving the SDGs.; Summary

IGEE Proceedings’ Commitment to Sustainable Development: Shinki An; IGEE Proc. 2024;1(1):4-5. Published online September 30, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.69841/igee.2024.007

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