FY2025 Center for Collaborative Study with Community Symposium
On March 23, 2026, the Center for Collaborative Study with Community, Promotion of Regional Collaboration, Gifu University held a symposium under the theme "The Future of Communities and Universities." The symposium was conducted in a hybrid format, combining in-person participation at the Gifu University Auditorium with online attendance. A large number of participants, including students and stakeholders from both inside and outside the university, took part in the event.
In the first half of the symposium, a certificate and title conferment ceremony was held for participants who completed the Gifu University Next-Generation Regional Leader Fostering Program. In FY2025, a total of 21 students completed the program, 22 students were newly certified Student Coordinators, and 15 students who attained the final title of Gifu Next-Generation Regional Leader were recognized. President YOSHIDA Kazuhiro offered words of encouragement to the students, expressing his hope that they would become leaders who would contribute actively to their local communities, the Tokai region, and Japan as a whole.
Following the ceremony, a special lecture entitled "Thoughts and Insights Gained from Walking through Mizuho Ward, Nagoya City: Rethinking Community-University Collaboration Beyond External Funding" was delivered by Professor NISHIZAWA Yasuhiko of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University.
In the latter half of the symposium, five student teams enrolled in the Next-Generation Regional Leader Fostering Program--including the Regional Leader Course, Environmental Leader Course, and Glocal Leader Course--presented reports on their activities. In addition, Mr. ICHIKAWA Fukutaro from the Planning and Public Relations Division of Motosu City, Gifu Prefecture, introduced concrete examples of local initiatives, providing participants with valuable insights into practical models of collaboration between local communities and universities.
This symposium provided students with an important opportunity to share the achievements of their activities, while also serving as a valuable learning experience that broadened their perspectives through exposure to initiatives from diverse standpoints, including research, local communities, and industry.
Gifu University will continue to further strengthen collaboration between the university and local communities, continue to hold the symposium in the years ahead, and widely disseminate information about Gifu University's initiatives.
