NTT-Keio University Joint Symposium on “Ubiquitous Leadership: The Future of Industry-Academia Collaboration” a Major Success

The symposium combined the themes of “ubiquitous network society” and “industry-academia collaboration” to discuss examples of how information communication technology and related R&D are being used to make daily life more convenient and to solve various problems in society.

On Friday, July 20 from 13:00 to 18:30, Keio University and NTT Corporation sponsored the joint symposium on “Ubiquitous Leadership: The Future of Industry-Academia Collaboration” at the West Building Conference Hall on Mita Campus, Keio University, Tokyo.

The symposium combined the themes of “ubiquitous network society” and “industry-academia collaboration” to discuss examples of how information communication technology and related R&D are being used to make daily life more convenient and to solve various problems in society. For a view of the present state of university-enterprise cooperation in Japan, the symposium invited a number of researchers from Keio University and NTT to give lectures, participate in panel discussions, and to present their joint research results. The symposium also had an exhibition booth area where visitors could catch a glimpse of various research efforts through demo events and poster displays.

To kick off the program, MC Minako Nagai introduced Professor Jun Murai, who is one of the original Internet pioneers in Japan and currently a Vice President of Keio University. He gave the opening speech in front of a standing-room-only packed hall on “Research Collaboration for the Support of Global Information Society.” Professor Murai discussed important themes and related research for the future network society.

Representing the sponsors of the symposium, Yuichiro Anzai, the President of Keio University, and Noritaka Uji, the Representative Director and Senior Executive Vice President of NTT then greeted the audience. After the preliminary introductions and greetings, session one of the symposium, “Towards Achieving a Ubiquitous Network Society,” got underway with an interview of Heizo Takenaka, the Director of the Global Security Research Institute, by Professor Jiro Kokuryo of the Faculty of Policy Management. The theme of this interview was “The Aim of Ubiquitous Policy Management.” Through Professor Kokuryo’s insightful questions, former MIC Minister Takenaka described—in an easy-to-understand and relaxed manner—his experiences in ubiquitous policy management at the national level and offered opinion on related topics going forward. The depth and breadth of this dialogue held the audience in rapt attention.

In session two of the symposium, “Advanced Research for the Practice of Ubiquitous Leadership,” Chairperson Hideyuki Tokuda of the Graduate School of Media and Governance, acting as coordinator, introduced young researchers who described four examples of joint research between NTT and Keio University. After providing a summary of these cases, Professor Tokuda asked the researchers several pointed questions about the effectiveness of and problems with joint research. This open exchange of opinions provided an excellent base of reference for the advancement of future joint efforts.

In session three of the symposium, “Design of a Ubiquitous Network Society,” Professor Masahiko Inakage of the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies gave an extremely enlightening lecture on “Media Design and Innovation for the Support of a Creative Society” that included numerous concrete examples. In addition, the professor gave a brief introduction of two new faculties that will open next April: the Graduate School of Media Design.

The final session dealt with “New Models for Future Industry-Academia Collaboration.” The session started off with a lecture by Director Akira Nanbu of NTT Cyber Space Laboratories whose theme was “From Broadband to Ubiquitous Innovation: The Past and Future of Collaboration between Keio University and NTT Laboratory Group.” In the panel discussion that followed, five panelists engaged in a lively exchange of opinions on “New Approaches for the Support of Information Society: Building Models for Industry-Academia Collaboration.” Professor Kokuryo, serving as both moderator and panelist, was joined by Director Yasuhiro Koike of Keio Leading-edge Laboratory of Science and Technology, Director Nanbu of NTT Cyber Space Laboratories, Director Junji Yumoto of NTT Basic Research Laboratories and NTT Photonics Laboratories, and Sawako Nohara, the Representative Director and President of IPSe Marketing, Inc. The panel discussion reflected a wealth of experience and diverse positions of responsibility that provides a leading platform of opinion for examining the future of industry-academia collaboration.

In addition to researchers, the symposium was attended by over 1000 people from private industry, universities, research institutes, and public agencies. So many people, in fact, an extra space was set up in the North Building Conference Hall to accommodate the overflow. The event was made even more memorable by the brilliant MCing of Ms. Nagai.

2007 marks the second year of a comprehensive collaboration agreement between NTT Corporation and Keio University. Building upon the great success of this joint symposium, we will strive to expand the domain of cooperation and further stimulate joint research in diverse fields. Finally, in the years to come, we hope to see our efforts crystallize into a national model of industry-academia collaboration.

Published: 01 Aug 2007

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