NEWS

On June 8 and July 6, 2026, Hiiragi, a student organization selected under Project B, a program that supports student initiatives tackling social issues, hosted a series of roundtable discussions for students interested in community engagement.

Hiiragi operates the Community Café Hiiragi in the Kamegawa area with the goal of serving as a local "community consultation hub." Through managing the space and organizing events, the organization works to create opportunities for interaction between local residents and APU students. The two roundtable sessions were designed to help students learn about engaging with local communities and inspire them to take action.

Centered on the common theme, "How should students build relationships with local communities during their limited four years at university?", the first session featured students sharing their experiences and lessons learned through community activities, while the second session explored the topic from the perspectives of local residents and government officials.

Roundtable 1: Let's Hear Students' Experiences in Local Activities

Held on June 8, the first roundtable featured four student speakers:

• Shuta Komizo (College of Sustainability and Tourism, 4th year)
• Mitsuki Murayama (College of Asia Pacific Studies, 3rd year)
• Tsukasa Takahashi (College of Asia Pacific Studies, 3rd year)
• Minami Tamagawa (College of Asia Pacific Studies, 4th year)

The speakers introduced their community-based activities and reflected on what they had learned through their experiences, sharing both successes and challenges. During the panel discussion that followed, they discussed how they built trust with local residents and the values they considered important for sustaining community engagement activities.
Participants commented that they had learned the importance of recognizing their role as representatives of their organizations and the university when working in the community. Others noted that building relationships with people is often more important than the success of individual projects.

Roundtable 2: Let's Hear Students' Experiences in Local Activities: What Do Local Residents Really Think About APU Students?

The second roundtable, held on July 6, was organized in response to feedback from participants in the first session, who expressed interest in hearing directly from local residents and learning how students are perceived from the community's perspective.

Guest speakers included:

• Fumihiro Ishinoda, representative of the Hokubu Hitomamori-Machimamori Council
• Hirokazu Goto, Beppu City official and part-time lecturer at APU

The speakers discussed their experiences working with students and shared their expectations for student involvement in local communities from the perspectives of community members and public administration.
During the panel discussion, participants exchanged views on impressions of APU students, the rewards and challenges of working with students, and what local communities hope to see from student engagement. The Q&A session generated lively discussion, with students raising questions about how to begin community activities and how to build meaningful relationships with local residents. The event provided a valuable opportunity for direct dialogue among students, community members, and government representatives.

Comment from Hiiragi Representative Shuta Komizo (College of Sustainability and Tourism, 4th year)

Hiiragi has been engaged in community activities for several years, and throughout that journey we have often reflected on how to build meaningful relationships with local residents. We organized this roundtable series because we wanted to share the question we have continually grappled with: What kind of relationship should students and local communities build together?
The discussions provided participants with an opportunity to think deeply about community engagement while learning from the experiences of both students and local residents. I believe that passing on the knowledge and lessons we have gained through our activities will contribute not only to students' personal growth but also to the revitalization of local communities.
This project was made possible through the support of many individuals, including Hiiragi members who have dedicated much of their student lives to activities in the Kamegawa area, Mr. Takahashi, who leads a children's cafeteria initiative, and Mr. Ishinoda and Mr. Goto, who have consistently supported our activities.

We hope that this roundtable series will serve as a first step toward deeper community engagement for participating students and inspire them to take action in the future.