Report Session: Industry- Academia- Banking Institution- and Government Collaboration for Region-Based Human Resource Development Project
On Thursday, January 30th, as part of the "Industry- Academia- Banking Institution- and Government Collaboration for Region-Based Human Resource Development Project," Gifu University held a "Report Session" at the university auditorium, where presentations were made by students from the Faculty of Engineering and faculty members from the Cetner for Collaborative Study with Community (CCSC, Gifu University).
This project aims to support the recruitment, development, and retention of highly skilled professionals in local companies, thereby revitalizing the regional economy through collaboration between the Gifu Prefectural Government, industry, universities, and financial institutions.
As part of this project, students from the Faculty of Engineering who are studying the course "Creative Exercises in Mechanical Engineering," participated in lectures and practical training sessions in groups, which were offered by local companies. Additionally, students who took the course "Introduction to Regional Industry and Corporate Strategy: Learning about Gifu Companies," conducted by the CCSC as part of Gifu University's "Next-Generation Regional Leader Fostering Program," interviewed young employees working for local companies and created company introduction reports. These reports were compiled into a booklet and distributed to all participants at the Report Session.
At the beginning of the session, Vice President Wang Zhigang of Gifu University expressed his deep gratitude to all those involved, stating, "This project has reached its ninth year, and I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to everyone who has contributed to the success of the program. For human resource development aimed at innovation, it is important not only to provide university education but also to tackle real-world challenges in corporate settings. Through the practical training, I believe the students were able to understand both the joys and difficulties of manufacturing, as well as experience the high level of technical skills and the warmth of the people working in local companies. We hope to continue this project in collaboration with all of you."
Following this, Assistant Professor ITO Koji from the CCSC reported on the achievements of the students who took the course "Introduction to Regional Industry and Corporate Strategy" through interviews with local companies and introduced the activities of the center. Subsequently, 28 student groups presented what they have gained from their practical training at companies. Students shared their impressions, stating that it was a valuable opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of corporate activities in Gifu Prefecture.
In the closing remarks, CCSC Director MASUKAWA Koichi, stated, "Through this project, I believe that students have learned 'design thinking' by discovering issues in companies and the community, and proposing solutions while receiving guidance from local companies and community members. At the same time, we hope that the project provided an opportunity for those who kindly guided the students to incorporate young ideas into theirs. More importantly, we are convinced that the project helped students, local companies and community to form a strong tie with one another. At Gifu University, we will continue to promote industry- academia- banking institution- and government collaborative education with your guidance to secure, develop, and retain human resources capable of addressing the challenges of the local industries, thereby contributing to regional revitalization. 
