Jeju National University (제주대학교 / JNU) is a flagship public research university located in Jeju City on Jeju Island, South Korea. Founded in 1952 as Cheju Provincial College and elevated to national university status in 1955, JNU is one of South Korea's 10 Flagship Korean National Universities (거점국립대학교 - KNU 10). In 2008, the university merged with Jeju National University of Education to form an integrated academic system. Leveraging Jeju Island's UNESCO World Natural Heritage status and its standing as a Special Self-Governing Province, JNU is nationally recognized for marine and ocean sciences, veterinary medicine (one of only 10 accredited veterinary colleges in South Korea), subtropical agriculture and bio-resources, tourism and hospitality management, wind and smart-grid renewable energy engineering, and clinical medicine. JNU operates an expansive 1-million-square-meter parkland Ara Main Campus on the northern foothills of Mount Hallasan (housing central administration, humanities, science, engineering, agriculture, veterinary medicine, law, and Jeju National University Hospital) alongside its historic downtown Sara Campus (dedicated to elementary teacher education).