On August 5, 2020, activities of Gifu University Center for Collaborative Study with Community were published on the booklet, "2020 Role Models for Community Building: Stay Close and Engage (provisional translation)."1) The Center's activities were introduced by the title "Tokai National Higher Education and Research System, Gifu University: Serving as a "core of regional revitalization," the Center contributes to the rebirth of local community."

The "2020 Role Models for Community Building" booklet highlights a total of 101 outstanding community building projects undertaken across the country. They include participants' personal experiences of twists and turns before successful conclusions, relevant QR codes, websites and a possibility of site inspections, all of which are invaluable information for anyone working for community building. Gifu University and Kagawa University are only two universities in Japan whose endeavors have been published on the booklet.

On September 7, Dr. Koichi Masukawa, Director of the Center for Collaborative Study with Community and vice directors visited the Office of President and reported the publication to President Hisataka Moriwaki. In the meeting, President Moriwaki said, "Regional revitalization today has been undertaken not only by universities, but also by vocational schools, local governments, NPOs, etc. It is a great honor that the Center's long-term efforts for regional revitalization were published on the booklet as one of the role models for community building. I hope all concerned continue to work hard in their endeavors for the benefits of local citizens and communities."

The following are the projects/programs of the Center introduced on the booklet:

- Fostering next-generation leaders through implementing COC2) and COC+3)

- Promotion of a new body of knowledge for solutions to regional challenges

- Creation of a "venue" for people's assembly ("Gifu Future Center")

- Expansion of the Center's activities to the Tokai Region after merging with Nagoya University ("Gifu University COC project"), and

- Planned projects/programs of the Center.

1) The Cabinet Secretariat is in charge of "2020 Role Models for Community Building"

2) COC (Center of Community) projects: projects of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Their objectives include reinforcing university functions to be a core of local communities where people, information and technology are brought together for problem-solving. To achieve these objectives, universities are expected to promote regional-based education, research and social contribution.

3) COC+ (Center of Community Program for Local Revitalization) projects: projects of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Their objectives include assembling people together to regions for revitalization by: - offering attractive job opportunities to students in collaboration with universities, local governments and businesses and, - supporting university's curriculum reform efforts necessary to cultivate personnel sought by regions.