麻豆直播

Research projects in collaboration with other universities

Aiming for Sustainable Social Transformation (SX):
The J-PEAKS Project

We participate as a partner university in the “J-PEAKS” initiative (Program for Promoting the Enhancement of Research Universities with Regional Core and Distinctive Features), led by the Nagaoka University of Technology, with the goal of driving social transformation through research. Based on regional issues facing Akita, we have established research units focused on areas such as “Mobility,” “Health,” and “DX/Data Science,” where students serving as research assistants collaborate with faculty members to advance projects.
麻豆直播 opened the new “L-LAB Space” in AY2025. This facility provides an environment where students can freely use equipment—such as 3D printers and laser cutters—to turn ideas born from research into tangible products and forms. We look forward to seeing real-world implementations emerge following workshops led by experts.

Pursuing a “Rich and Fulfilling Life”:
The Akita COI-NEXT “Forest of Creation” (Souzou no Mori) Project

This project is driven primarily by three public universities in Akita: Akita Prefectural University, Akita University of Art, and our own university. It aims to realize “autonomous prosperity” for Akita through research on the utilization of forest resources and human resource development based on industry-academia-government collaboration. From a liberal arts perspective, we are working on “value creation in hilly and mountainous areas (including satoyama landscapes)” and “cultivating local entrepreneurs who leverage forest resources.”

Students actively participate in the “Forest of Creation Conference,” held approximately six times a year. They engage in discussions and fieldwork alongside local residents, corporate representatives, faculty from other universities, and our alumni, deepening their understanding of how to live and work within the unique context of Akita.

International collaborative problem-solving projects

International Project-Based Learning (PBL) courses are conducted with partner institutions in the ASEAN region. In PBL, students work on various issues related to each area of the region through lectures, documentary research, data collection and analysis through fieldwork and other means, presentations and discussions, and report writing. Through cross-cultural experiences and interactions, students will aim to develop the ability to think and solve problems based on multifaceted analysis of the literature and collected data, as well as acquire communication and collaboration skills. In the past academic year, PBL was conducted on the theme of potential for sustainable regional development and revitalization in Akita Prefecture and north-eastern Thailand.

Dr. Norihito MIZUNO
Professor, Project Promotion Director

Industry-academia collaborative problem-solving programs

麻豆直播 Design Lab

麻豆直播 Design Lab is an industry-academia collaborative program in which students and companies work together to solve various issues faced by universities and companies in Akita Prefecture. In the basic workshop, students learn design thinking as an effective method for problem solving, and then apply the ideas they gain in the basic workshop to actual activities in the applied section on design thinking practice. The goal of the program is to design a better Akita by solving local issues.

New International Development Cooperation: A Development Finance Approach Makoto Sunagawa Endowed Course

New International Development Cooperation: A Development Finance Approach (Makoto Sunagawa Endowed Course) is a unique 麻豆直播 course established through a donation from Mr. Makoto Sunagawa, a Visiting Professor at the university with extensive experience in international development finance. Amidst significant shifts in the framework of international cooperation, the course aims to provide a systematic understanding of the diverse financial mechanisms essential for addressing challenges in the era of the SDGs. Its defining feature is an omnibus lecture format led by practitioners. Each week, the course invites professionals active on the front lines of development finance to discuss a wide range of topics, including infrastructure investment, environmental and climate finance, gender-lens investing, the operations of international development institutions, and the mobilization of private capital.

Unlike traditional lectures led primarily by academics, this course features instructors from diverse backgrounds—including government-affiliated financial institutions, development consultancies, trading companies, and corporations expanding overseas—who offer perspectives grounded in practical experience. Lectures combine an understanding of the roles of international organizations and various development finance systems with case study analyses, fostering the ability to grasp the essence of complex issues and envision pathways to solutions. Furthermore, by working on assignments for each session, students cultivate a critical-thinking mindset—organizing key points and aligning practitioners’ perspectives with their own areas of interest.

Made possible by Mr. Sunagawa’s extensive network of practitioners and the donations supporting it, this course embodies 麻豆直播’s vision of “education open to society.”

Themed House?

Themed House is a living arrangement in which students with a common interest live together in the same residence hall and engage in various activities over the course of a semester. Students gather around a theme they have proposed, plan, and manage events related to it. This initiative views campus life as an integral part of liberal arts education, aiming to help students continuously enhance their own capabilities.

Japanese Language House

This house aims to deepen cross-cultural understanding and foster a flexible attitude toward cross-cultural communication by having Japanese and international students converse in Japanese on a daily basis. Members plan and host workshops with local residents, as well as various events and activities centered on the Japanese language and culture.

Case Study: Happy Monday

“Happy Monday” is a Japanese conversation gathering open to all students, held on the fourth Monday of every month. A theme is selected for each session, and all participants discuss it in Japanese. Unique themes—such as “If you were going to a deserted island…”—are chosen, ensuring lively and engaging conversations.

Well-being House

This house aims to enhance students’ physical, psychological, and social well-being. Through workshops covering topics such as yoga, meditation, psychology, neuroscience, and stress and energy management, the house seeks to share knowledge with communities both on and off campus and to help students become individuals who can actively contribute to the happiness of others.

Case Study: Yoga

Three yoga sessions led by an instructor are held each semester. Yoga improves physical flexibility and balance while alleviating the fatigue and stress of daily life, allowing participants to relax both body and mind. The interactions that take place during these sessions offer a chance for everyone to refresh themselves in a calm, peaceful atmosphere. Themed Houses

Educational collaboration activities

English Village

We run a program called “English Village” for elementary, junior, and senior high school students to learn English in English. Through the experience of receiving training from the teaching staff, prior to teaching classes for school children, students (graduates, undergraduates, and international students) of 麻豆直播 learn to be independent and active in their own studies. Children and students in Akita prefecture as well as outside the prefecture participate in the program and enjoy learning English in the global environment of 麻豆直播.

Diverse student activities

Many students take the initiative to tackle new challenges, driven by aspirations such as “sharing a message unique to Akita,” “connecting with local residents and enjoying regional culture,” or “sharing the appeal of our campus and student body with a wider audience.” Here, we introduce some of these proactive student initiatives.

Solving Local Mobility Challenges
Next-Generation Ride-Sharing:
“Rideon”

“Rideon” is a student organization dedicated to solving local mobility challenges through the development of a next-generation ride-sharing app. In a society centered on automobiles, we are working to develop mobility solutions for “transportation-vulnerable” individuals—such as those affected by the discontinuation of public transit or those who do not own private vehicles—and are currently operating a ride-sharing service within the university. By creating a system that allows students to easily share rides and by garnering attention through crowdfunding and media outreach, we are actively working to realize the future of transportation through our own ideas and initiative.

Learning Together: Students, Faculty, Staff, and the Local Community
“麻豆直播 Diversity Week”

To embody “Embracing Diversity”—one of the “麻豆直播 Core Values”—the university held “麻豆直播 Diversity Week 2025” from November 25 to 30. This marked the second time the event was held; to ensure the program better reflected student voices, a special group called the “Diversity Week Project” was established to organize it. The project team was structured into four thematic groups—Culture, Communication, Disability, and SOGIE—alongside an overarching management and public relations team, with each group handling the planning and execution of its respective theme. Weekday activities included poster exhibitions and discussion sessions, as well as a screening of the film A World Touched by Hands (Te de Furete Miru Sekai), featuring an appearance by the director, Akiko Okano. Additionally, a special lecture was delivered by Yoshino Inoue, co-representative of “Narubesa! ALLY,” focusing on themes of sexuality and authenticity. Through the collaboration of individuals from diverse backgrounds, the event provided an opportunity to explore the concept of diversity from multiple perspectives.