Business Overview
In order to contribute to the development of higher education, we exchange information on the initiatives and research results of each university consortium.
Outline of the event
theme
Toward the development of new human resources who will open up a drastically changing society
~Inter-university collaboration and industry-government-academia collaboration in the face of unchanging trends~
Purpose of the conference
Currently, higher education is undergoing a major turning point. As shown in the “Ideal of Higher Education with an Eye on the Future of Society in the Face of a Rapidly Declining Birthrate” consulted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to the Central Council of Education, the environment surrounding universities is changing significantly, such as the declining population, the advancement of AI, and the spread of problem-solving learning in high schools.
In response to these social changes, it is also an important mission to support diverse and flexible learning and develop highly specialized human resources who will lead the future through the promotion of interdisciplinary and interdiscilinear education and recurrent education.
In addition, in order to develop as a core presence in the region, it is essential to collaborate not only with universities, but also with stakeholders from various positions such as local governments and industry, and to promote initiatives with industry, academia, and government.
Under these circumstances, higher education institutions are required to have an attitude of “not changing trends” that flexibly incorporates the changes of the times while preserving their essence. It is important to reconsider the essence of inter-university collaboration with a view to the report presented by the Central Council of Education, “Future Vision for Improving Japan’s ‘Sum of Knowledge’ ~Restructuring the Higher Education System~”. For example, the university consortium Hyogo Kobe’s ongoing international student internship initiatives reflect both the unchanging philosophy and the practice in response to social changes.
At this forum, we hope to take this opportunity to look back on the activities of inter-university collaboration organizations, re-examine their origins, learn from the latest practical examples, and think together about the future of higher education.
schedule
Saturday, August 30, 2025, 13:00-17:45 (*Information exchange session 18:00-19:30), Sunday, August 31, 2025, 10:00-12:00
meeting place
Kobe Gakuin University Port Island 1st Campus (1-1-3 Minato, Chuo-ku, Kobe City)
*About a 6-minute walk west from Kobe New Kotsu Port Liner “Minatojima (in front of campus)” station.
Participation Fee
Participation fee (general) 5,000 yen / (Student) free
Information Exchange Meeting (General) 4,000 yen / (Student) 2,000 yen
*We will not be selling reports (booklets) from FY2025.
For details, please see “About Abstracts and Reports” below.
Co sponsored by
National University Consortium Council, University Consortium Hyogo Kobe
cooperation
Kobe Gakuin University (venue school)
support
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Association of National Universities, Association of Public Universities, Japan Federation of Private Universities,
Japan Association of Private Universities, National Association of Public Junior Colleges, Japan Association of Private Junior Colleges, National Governors’ Association, Asahi Shimbun,
Mainichi Shimbun, Yomiuri Shimbun, Nihon Keizai Shimbun Osaka Headquarters, Kyodo News Agency, Hyogo Prefecture,
Kobe City, Kobe Shimbun, Kobe Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hyogo Prefecture Management Association
substance
Day 1
Symposiums, poster sessions, information exchange sessions, etc.
Day 2
Breakout Sessions (3 Sessions)
◆For details, please see the special website or leaflet.
Special site (Click on the image below to go to the special site)
The 22nd National University Consortium Research Exchange Forum Leaflet
schedule
| Opening Remarks ⏰13:00-13:15 |
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University Consortium Hyogo Kobe President Yasutoshi Mori (President, Kwansei Gakuin University) Governor of Hyogo Prefecture Mr. Motohiko Saito (Participation of the University Consortium Hyogo Kobe) National University Consortium Council Representative Secretary Katsuhiro Ohara (President, University Consortium Kyoto, President, Doshisha University) |
| Student Stage A ⏰13:15-13:25 |
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Myanmar Dance “Dajang Dance” [University of Distribution Science] Win Pa Pa Tung San, So Yu Nue, Win Shuwe Yi Kyo, Moe Thi Coco, Yun Yun Pyo, Nan Eddra Pu Wei, Aung Tu Lam U, Aa So San, Linh Lak Lat Khanh |
| Symposium (1) Topic 13 ⏰:30-15:10 |
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“Inter-university collaboration and regional co-creation ~The potential of consortia in the period of social change~”
Symposium Moderators Overview> |
| ⏰Break 15:10-16:30 |
| Student Stage B ⏰16:30-16:40 |
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Erhu performance “Merry Christmas on the Battlefield with Jasmine” Ashiya University Chen Yuyang Quran chanting “Kla’an” Ashiya University Saddam |
| Symposium (2) Discussion ⏰16:45-17:30 |
| Closing Remarks ⏰17:30-17:45 |
| National Council of University Consortiums Representative Secretary Yuji Kawano (Elisabeth College of Music President and President) |
| Poster Session ⏰12:00-19:00 |
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In the poster session, we will introduce advanced examples and activities of consortium organizations across the country. Please use it as a place to collect practical efforts and various information. ・Core time (15:10-16:30) |
On the day of the event, there will be an exhibition corner by member schools of the University Consortium Hyogo Kobe, which is a co-organizer, under the theme of “Collaboration between universities and industry-government-academia from Hyogo”.
Please take a look at our efforts for inter-university collaboration, industry-government-academia collaboration, and university activities to connect the lessons learned from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.
| Information Exchange Meeting ⏰18:00-19:30 |
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We will hold an information exchange meeting where you can easily interact with university and consortium officials from all over the country in a standing format. This is a valuable opportunity to enjoy a unique local meal, view the poster session exhibition, and exchange opinions on initiatives and issues. Please join us for a moment to experience the charm of the gourd with all five senses and deepen exchanges. [Opening] University Consortium Hyogo Kobe Vice President Itoko Nakai (President, Konan University) [Cheers] University Consortium Hyogo Kobe Vice President Masato Fujisawa (President, Kobe University) |
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Day 2: Sunday, August 31>
| Location | Breakout session ⏰10:00-12:00 |
| Building No. 2 D220 |
1st Subcommittee (University Consortium Kyoto) “Promoting the Attraction of International Students in All Industries, Academia, and Government in Kyoto -Toward the Retention of International Students-“ The University Consortium Kyoto serves as the secretariat, and has been working to attract and accept international students in the Kyoto area through the “International Student Study Kyoto Network,” in which universities, Japanese language schools, vocational schools, companies, economic organizations, and government agencies participate. As responding to a declining population becomes a social issue, efforts to ensure that highly skilled human resources are established in the community, such as employment support for international students who have graduated from universities and other institutions, is becoming more important. In this subcommittee, we will share examples of initiatives by governments, universities, and companies, and discuss future prospects for attracting and supporting international students with a view to establishing them in the local community. Reporter |
| Building No. 2 D217 |
Subcommittee 2 (Higher Education Consortium Miyazaki) “The Future of Recurrent Education through Co-creation -How to build a place where we can learn together and create a community together-” In this subcommittee, we will consider how each university and consortium should work on recurrent education, especially recurrent education that collaborates and co-creates with local communities and companies. To this end, we will first take an overview of what and how recurrent education is and what the issues are. Next, you will report on practical examples of recurrent education programs in collaboration between universities and local communities. In addition, from the perspective of companies, we will collaborate with universities to report on the significance of recurrent education and expand understanding. On top of that, we will exchange opinions with the reporters and participants about the future of recurrent education that can be worked on because it is a university consortium. Reporter Coordinator |
| Building No. 2 D213 |
3rd Subcommittee (University Consortium Hyogo Kobe) [TKK3 University Collaboration Project 15th Year Project] 30 Years Since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake “Thinking as a young person: the power of supporting disaster-stricken areas and passing on the story” January 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. With more than half of the generation unaware of the earthquake, it is becoming increasingly important to pass on the experiences of that time. In this session, we will share the framework of the “TKK3 University Collaboration Project” that has been working on inter-university collaboration, exchange opinions on efforts by young people to support disaster-stricken areas and pass on stories, and aim to develop the ability to prepare for the next large-scale disaster through what they felt in the disaster-stricken areas and devised ways to pass them on. Reporter Coordinator |
Precautions for participation
・When visiting, please come by public transportation.
・At the lecture venue and breakout session venue, please take care not to make any sound, such as turning off your mobile phone or smartphone or putting it in silent mode.
・We ask for your cooperation so that you can take your garbage home by yourself.
・There is no cafeteria or convenience store on campus. (There are not many restaurants around Minatojima Station, which is the nearest station to the venue.)
About Abstracts and Reports
From FY2025, the collection of presentations and reports will be provided as PDF data rather than booklets. For the abstracts, we plan to send the PDF data to the email address of the forum applicants about 3 days before the forum day.
We will not sell the report collection, and we will send PDF data to all forum applicants free of charge by email at a later date. The PDF data provided will be the lecture materials and the profile sheets of the member organizations of the National Council of University Consortiums.
About application
If you would like to participate in the 22nd National University Consortium Research Exchange Forum, please apply here.
Application period: June 18, 2025 (Wednesday) 10:00 ~ July 31, 2025 (Thursday) 24:00
*Payment deadline until Aug 8 (Fri) 24:00
*The application period has been extended.
◆Step 1 Apply from the web
Please register your email address from the “Apply” button above. Access the “Application Form” URL sent to your registered email address and follow the on-screen instructions to enter it, and you will receive an “Application Completion Email”.
◆Step 2 Payment
After completing the application process in Step 1, you will receive an email with payment methods. Please pay the participation fee by credit card or at the nearest convenience store on time.
*Please note that the price you pay will be used as a preparation cost, so we will not be able to accept refunds for any reason.
*Payment cannot be made at financial institutions such as banks and Japan Post Bank.
*Those who have not completed the application procedure and payment in Step 1 will not be able to participate.
Payment: Until 24:00 on Friday, August 8
◆ Step 3 Receiving a “Participation Certificate”
Once the application is completed (after payment is completed), you will receive a “Participation Certificate” to your registered email address.
*If you do not receive an email after August 15 (Friday), please contact the council secretariat.
◆Step 4 On the day of the forum
On the day of the forum, please present your “participation certificate” (email or printout) at the reception desk.
*If you wish to participate on your behalf, please bring your participation card (email) and apply at the reception desk on the day of the event.
◆Notes
*If you do not set the cookie in your browser to “enabled”, you may not be able to apply.
*If you do not receive the “Participation Application Form” notification email, there is a possibility that you have entered your email address incorrectly. Please re-enter and resubmit the “Email Address Confirmation Form”.
*Please note that changes cannot be made after completing the application procedure.
*Symposiums, coordinators, and breakout session presenters do not need to apply.
Implementation Report
The National University Consortium Research Exchange Forum is held as a place to exchange information on the initiatives and research results of each university consortium, with the aim of contributing to the development of higher education, and this year marks its 22nd anniversary.
The forum, held on Saturday, August 30 and Sunday, August 31, 2025, was held for the first time in Hyogo Prefecture with the main theme of “Toward the development of new human resources who will open up a radically changing future society: Inter-university collaboration and industry-government-academia collaboration that thinks in an unchanging way.”
A total of 373 participants gathered at the Kobe Gakuin University Port Island 1 Campus from all over the country, including university faculty and staff, university consortium officials, and government and corporate officials.
| ▼ Venue: Kobe Gakuin University Port Island Campus 1 | |
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[Saturday, August 30]
| ▼ Opening Remarks University Consortium Hyogo Kobe Chairman Yasutoshi Mori (President, Kwansei Gakuin University) |
▼ Student Stage (Myanmar Dance) |
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| ▼ Student Stage (Erhu performance) |
▼ Student Stage (Quran chanting) |
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At the symposium, presentations were made by the speakers on the theme of “Inter-University Collaboration and Regional Co-Creation ~The Possibility of Consortia in the Period of Social Change~”, followed by lively discussions.
≪ Symposium≫
Toshiya Yoshimi (Professor, Faculty of Tourism and Community Planning, Kokugakuin University, Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo)
Koji Okada (President CEO, Japan Technology Solution Co., Ltd.)
Masumi Shimafuji (Representative Director, X-R John Co., Ltd.)
Mr. Masaaki Honjo (General Manager, Office Department, Student Activity Support Organization, Kwansei Gakuin University)
≪ moderator≫
Atsushi Hamana (Director, University Consortium Hyogo Kobe, President, Kansai International University)
| ▼ Symposium | |
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In addition, active exchanges between participants were seen at the poster session exhibited by 11 university consortiums, panel exhibitions at 23 booths at 15 university consortium Hyogo Kobe member schools, and information exchange meetings.
| ▼ Poster session and panel exhibition | |
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| ▼ Information exchange meeting | |
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[August 31 (Sun)]
On the second day of the forum, subcommittees were held for each of the three themes: “International Students,” “Recurrent Education,” and “Support for Disaster-stricken Areas by Young People.” In each subcommittee, in addition to reporting on practical cases related to the theme, participants and reporters actively exchanged opinions and shared information.
1st Subcommittee> University Consortium Kyoto
“Promoting the Attraction of International Students in All Industries, Academia, and Government in Kyoto -Toward the Retention of International Students-“
2nd Subcommittee> Higher Education Consortium Miyazaki
“The Future of Recurrent Education through Co-creation
-How to build a place where we can learn together and create a community together-“
3rd Subcommittee> University Consortium Hyogo Kobe
[TKK3 University Collaboration Project 15th Year Project] 30 Years Since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake
“Thinking as a young person: the power of supporting disaster-stricken areas and passing on the story”
| ▼ 1st Session (University Consortium Kyoto) |
▼ Session 2 (Higher Education Consortium Miyazaki) |
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| ▼ Session 3 (University Consortium Hyogo Kobe) |
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Through the symposium and case reports and exchange of opinions at the subcommittees at this forum, it was a place to rethink the role that university consortiums should play.
Thank you very much for your participation.
The next 23rd Forum will be held in Hiroshima City in collaboration with Education Network China.
The event will be held for two days, September 10 (Thursday) and 11 (Friday), 2026, and the venue is scheduled to be Hiroshima Institute of Technology Itsukaichi Campus.
Details will be announced on the website of the University Consortium Kyoto as soon as they are decided.
We look forward to your participation.
Inquiries
National University Consortium Council Secretariat (University Consortium Kyoto)
TEL 075-353-9100 FAX 075-353-9101
〒600-8216 Campus Plaza Kyoto, Shimogyo-ku, Nishidoin-dori Shiokoji, Kyoto
*Reception hours: Tuesday ~ Saturday 9:00 ~ 17:00 (excluding year-end and New Year holidays)
