Multicultural Campus Project Toward Social Impact Greetings

In November 2024, our university was selected by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) as a recipient of the "Multicultural Campus Project Toward Social Impact" (Type I ) for FY2024. The name of the project plan is "Establishment of a Global GIGAKU Collaborative Learning Model and development of R&D Professionals to transform Local Manufacturing Industries and Local Communities" Through this project, we aim to further develop our university’s distinctive strength in GIGAKU education and establish an educational model that fosters talent capable of solving local issues in collaboration with the local community.

GIGAKU education, which is a type of practical engineering education, consists of three pillars: (1) Development of practical engineers through industry-academia collaboration, (2) Development of R&D professionals through integrated undergraduate / graduate education, and (3) Education involving the collaboration between KOSEN and Nagaoka University of Technology. By effectively integrating multicultural collaborative learning into these pillars, we aim to develop and implement the Global GIGAKU Collaborative Learning Nagaoka Model, ultimately generating university creation-based social impact through the university’s contributions in scientific and technological innovation and real-world applications. Furthermore, by collaborating with local governments and KOSEN through multicultural collaborative learning, we aim to generate university-induced local creation-based social impact, where the influence of the university and students on the local community leads to contributions from the local government and companies.

Through the establishment of this educational model, we will realize an educational and research environment (global campus) where all students, including those who do not study abroad, can develop a global mindset. By having international students who study on this global campus and develop advanced skills and management abilities choose to settle in Japan and work for domestic and local companies, we can pave the way for the utilization of foreign talent and the revitalization and diversification of local communities, ultimately leading to a multicultural society.

As outlined above, by promoting multicultural collaborative learning alongside GIGAKU education, we aim to create an environment where Japanese students, international students, and KOSEN students collaborate with local governments and local companies to address local issues, where local governments and local companies utilize R&D professionals to drive transformation in manufacturing and local communities, and where international students are encouraged to stay in Japan, ultimately establishing a sustainable system that fosters a continuous positive reinforcement cycle of technology and talent between Japan and abroad.

President, Nagaoka University of Technology
KAMADO Shigeharu