In today’s world, we are faced with many difficulties, such as pandemics and global warming, as well as the natural disasters it causes. As a university that is engaged with society and whose efforts are based on excellence in knowledge, Tohoku University has a mission to contribute to solving global issues by creating new social values and to lead innovation and change toward a sustainable and prosperous future society in partnership with the nation, local governments, and industries.

The Center for Co-Creation Strategy was established in April 2020 with the aim of making proposals and providing support for policies and strategies from the point-of-view of social co-creation and the improvement of information gathering. Experts from various fields are involved, and the primary target is activities at the university that involve social collaboration. Since the center was established, we have carried out activities based on the opinions of experts both inside and outside the university. We have set up a JETRO Innovation Desk on campus to promote international industry-academia collaboration, we have responded quickly to ever-changing challenges, we have promoted the realization of the Science Park project which aims to establish a flexible industry-academia co-creation system that creates social values, and we have considered a plan for an external corporation in terms of an exit strategy for on-campus open innovation at Tohoku University.

At the Center for Co-Creation Strategy, in addition to what I have already mentioned, we will provide further proposals and support for businesses based on analyses that make the best use of the wide range of experiences and knowledge that we possess. Through this process, we will promote co-creation with society while taking into account the ever-changing social landscape.

I would greatly appreciate your further support for our Center and I am waiting for your proposal.

Hideo Harigae
Director,
Center for Co-Creation Strategy at Tohoku University