Kickoff Event Held for New Industry-Academia Collaboration Program to Solve Regional Issues

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) and the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) held a kickoff event for “.Knots,” a component program of the APU Connection Hub, as part of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s (MEXT) FY2024 "Multicultural Campus Project Toward Social Impact,” a subsidy program of the University Education Revitalization Strategy Support Fund.

“.Knots” is an industry-academia collaboration program operated by APU that aims to connect students from APU and Kyutech with local businesses to identify and solve various challenges faced by companies and communities in Kyushu. The program fosters collaboration by matching student teams with real-world issues sourced from local communities and businesses. By leveraging APU's strengths in intercultural understanding and diversity & inclusion, alongside Kyutech’s expertise in science, technology, AI, and data science, the initiative promotes innovative problem-solving and the international application of solutions.

The program aspires to cultivate the next generation of change-makers capable of generating new value and leading social transformation, while further accelerating internationalization efforts originating in Kyushu and sharing them with the world.

The kickoff event allowed participants to experience firsthand the types of services that ".Knots" aims to offer and the outcomes it hopes to generate. Around 20 participants from local companies and municipalities, as well as approximately 20 students from APU and Kyutech, took part. At the start of the event, recent initiatives from both universities, an overview of the Social Impact Project, and the future vision of collaboration between the two institutions were presented by APU Vice President Shinoda and Kyutech Vice President Mizui.

In the subsequent workshop, participants engaged in group work using systems thinking to tackle hypothetical issues such as global collaboration, energy optimization, and solutions to over-tourism. Active discussions took place, and many participants from companies and municipalities expressed high expectations for the program, noting that it provided valuable insights into the technical components necessary for system development and practical problem-solving.

This kickoff marks the beginning of a deeper collaboration between APU and Kyutech. Going forward, the two universities will continue to work together to provide programs and services through ".Knots" that address real social issues.

For inquiries from companies or local governments, please visit the APU Connection Hub website:
https://en.apu.ac.jp/connection-hub/