Design Academia - 国公立デザイン系大学会議

University tagKyoto Institute of Technology

Design Thinking in the Age of the New Normal and the Challenges of International Programs — Based on the experience of "Kyoto Design Thinking EXPO"

Under the theme of “Creativity born from cross-disciplinary approaches”, the KYOTO Design Lab at Kyoto Institute of Technology (KYOTO) holds the “ME310/SUGAR” program every year. It is a nine-month program in which participants work together with overseas universities using design thinking methods to tackle various issues provided by global companies. The “ME310/SUGAR” is an educational network in which the “ME310” program from Stanford University has spread to over 20 universities around the world as the “SUGAR Network” and Kyoto Institute of Technology is the only research and educational institution in Japan to participate in this network. On July 9, 2021, Kyoto Design Thinking EXPO 2021 was held as an opportunity […]

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2022.3.29

Social Interaction Design in Practice

The problems faced by modern society are characterized by a complexity that cannot be solved by a single technology or thinking approach. Today’s society requires “design thinking” to seek the real structure underlying problem phenomena and to propose new solutions by editing various technologies. The Design Program at Kyoto Institute of Technology defines the new role and function of design as social interaction design. It aims to nurture human resources who can create not only products but also new services and implement them in society. Future designers who practice social interaction design will be required to have the ability to 1) create new value, 2) collaborate across different disciplines, and […]

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2021.7.2

Online Workshop on Designing the Future After the Coronavirus "(Re)generating Japan - speculating a new “new normal” after COVID-19”

Many projects that were initially planned at the KYOTO Design Lab of Kyoto Institute of Technology were canceled or postponed due to the coronavirus. As part of its efforts to develop new ways of collaboration through remote workshops and lectures, an online workshop project, “(Re)generating Japan – speculating a new “new normal” after COVID-19” (https://www.d-lab.kit.ac.jp/news/2020/regenerating-japan/) was conducted. This project is an experiment in which the university, as a testing ground for society, seeks new models of education and practice, and new areas of activity. Using the “new lifestyle” proposed by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare as a starting point, we invited participants of all nationalities and fields of […]

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2021.7.2

"The 2nd Association of Design Departments and Schools in Japanese Public Universities Conference" Part 2

Click here to read the 2nd Association of Design Departments and Schools in Japanese Public Universities Conference report article (first part) A question-and-answer session was followed, after the three universities presented their reports. Below are some of the questions and answers discussed.   Saga University “Resilience for Creation – What kind of ability to survive in this future?” Tokyo Metropolitan University ”How do you provide support to students during regular classes?” Saga University ”Now that everything is online, the reality is that classes are not possible without students’ help. I have seminar students in their second and third years to help me in the Teacher Assistant (TA) type of work. The workload on […]

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2021.4.23

"The 2nd Association of Design Departments and Schools in Japanese Public Universities Conference" Part 1

This conference was attended by 22 public universities with design faculties and departments, and 17 of the universities participated in an online symposium. In 2020, universities were confronted with the big questions of “What is a university?”, “What is education?” and were asked to come up with concrete measures amidst the unprecedented spread of COVID-19 and uncertainty about the future. This second conference’s theme was “Coronavirus: New Lifestyle and Design,” and a lively question-and-answer session was held after the sharing of case studies from each university. In the first half of the 2nd Association of Design Departments and Schools in Japanese Public Universities Conference, Saga University, Chiba University, and Kyoto […]

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2021.4.23

Japan-China Design Symposium and Asia Design Symposium Report

On November 29, 2020, Japan-China Design Symposium was held at the Design Common, a learning support facility on Kyushu University’s Ohashi Campus in Fukuoka. It was initially scheduled in February of the same year but was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. The symposium was held online with five Chinese universities and three Japanese universities participated. The plenary session was held with simultaneous interpretation provided in Japanese, Chinese, and English.The theme of the first part was “The Current Status of Design Universities in Japan and China and the Potential and Effects of International Exchange”. Chinese and Japanese universities reported on their educational policies and initiatives in design-related faculties. In both […]

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2021.4.21

What is the Best Way to Nurture Entrepreneurship?

Kyoto Institute of Technology runs “Kyoto Startup Summer School (KS3)” as part of its design education. Organized by KYOTO Design Lab, it is Japan’s most international startup program conducted fully in English. The mission of KS3 is for students to become excited about startups, learn how to build successful startups, and take the first steps in creating a startup. Lecture on a hardware module   History KS3 started in 2016 as a modest 2-day program that brought together 12 participants and 4 lecturers and workshop facilitators. The program was constructed out of different modules such as “fundraising” and “marketing for startups”. After the successful beta test, the program expanded significantly […]

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2020.3.20