NEWS

On Wednesday, January 29, 2025, a symposium and networking event for the College of Sustainability and Tourism Community (STC) was held at J:COM Holt Hall Oita in Oita City. The event provided an opportunity for affiliated institutions, companies, and students involved in STC to present and report on the achievements of the college’s second year.

In his opening remarks, Professor Takayuki Kubo of the College of Sustainability and Tourism expressed his gratitude, stating, "We have successfully completed our second year thanks to the support of the community." He also mentioned, "Starting this year, with the cooperation of Convention Linkage, Inc., we have been able to embark on various new initiatives."

During the opening talk, Visiting Professor Naomi Zaizen shared her experiences living in Oita Prefecture and interacting with the local community. She highlighted the richness and value of traditional ways of life, emphasizing the importance of passing these on to future generations. She also spoke with optimism about the high potential of utilizing Oita’s abundant local resources for tourism.

In the case study presentation on social co-creation, Yuji Yano, a representative from the Regional Development Department of Oita Bank, which sponsors a special lecture series at APU, took the stage. He discussed issues such as the shortage of business successors and other regional challenges in Oita. He emphasized that the bank's mission is to promote projects that utilize "the richness of local life" as a tourism resource and to contribute to sustainable community development. He also introduced specific initiatives undertaken by Oita Bank.

Yuka Tominaga (College of Asia Pacific Studies, Spring 2022, Japan), who is currently employed at Oita Bank, expressed her joy in being involved in the special lecture series at her alma mater. Reflecting on her university life during the COVID-19 pandemic, she encouraged the students in attendance by saying, "Even if things don’t go as planned and you feel discouraged, unexpected fortunate encounters can always arise, so I hope you will stay positive no matter what."

In the latter half of the symposium, a report on STC activities for the 2024 academic year was presented, followed by a showcase of sustainability initiatives by Kaito Wakabayashi and Kentaro Terada, both fourth-year students in the College of Asia Pacific Studies. After this, there was open discussion with a lively exchange of opinions on the future of the relationship between the local community and the university and its students.