The Faculty of Design at Okayama Prefectural University was established as the first faculty in Japan to bear the name of design. It has produced many designers, professionals, and researchers through its specialized education and research in design. Based on these achievements, the Faculty of Design, as the embodiment of practical learning, aims to nurture human resources who can contribute to the region and the world, with the design and management skills necessary to create an enriching life and a new culture in a changing society.

The Faculty of Design has undergone two departmental reorganizations. From the academic year 2021, we will be offering new design education in three departments: Department of Visual Design specializing in visual design, Department of Craft and Industrial Design specializing in industrial design and crafts, and Department of Architecture specializing in architecture with a focus on design. The faculty’s unique features include the ability to take subjects in fields that integrate between departments, a small-group education system that emphasizes practical learning, and the practical development of creative problem-solving skills through design by various project courses that address local issues.

In addition, the school has been working on the [“Kibi no Mori” Creation Strategy Project: Aiming to Nurture Weed-Type Human Resources], which has been adopted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s “Project for Universities as Drivers of Regional Revitalization through New Human Resources Education Programs”. The Faculty of Design and Graduate School of Design are developing “Forest that contributes to Forest, Architecture, and Craftsmanship” as one of the programs included in this project.

Panoramic view of the Okayama Prefectural University campus