Singapore Government and Keio University have agreed to jointly establish Keio-NUS CUTE Center in Singapore
Keio University is pleased to announce the setup of Keio-NUS CUTE (Connective Ubiquitous Technology for Embodiments) Center in Singapore in response to the Singapore government’s push to partner international Interactive Digital Media (IDM) research institutes with Singapore universities to enhance the country’s IDM research capabilities. Keio-NUS CUTE Center will be operated by Keio University with close cooperation with National University of Singapore (NUS), and will have base both in NUS and Keio University. Researchers of the two universities will collaborate in their research themes such as lifestyle media in the ubiquitous society, global computing utilizing leading-edge network, and trends in digital contents and pop culture in Asia. Keio University Graduate School of Media Design (KMD) which was newly established in April 2008 will play a major role of research activities of Keio-NUS CUTE Center. In addition, Keio-NUS CUTE Center is the Keio’s first full-scale international research center located outside of Japan.
1．Background Information
The media industry and Creative Industries such as industries related to art and culture are new industries that are attracting global attention. The Singapore government is enhancing Creative Industries as a part of national strategies, and over the next six years, it will attract a total of 10 leading institutions from around the globe as partners to set up joint research centers within the country. Keio University is the third institution to partner with IDMPO, following the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institution of Automation. Keio University’s leading position in the field of digital media and Creative Industries is highly regarded by the Singapore government, and led to the invitation to Keio University to Keio-NUS CUTE Center. Keio’s recent initiatives in this field include establishment of the Research Institute for Digital Media and Content (DMC) in 2004. Keio has promoted through DMC the creation of contextual digital content (digital content with a scenario, designed by editing, processing and consolidating digital content based on the purpose of usage). DMC also partnered with other institutions to promote joint research, international expansion and to nurture human resources. In April 2008, KMD was established to nurture creative global leaders. KMD focuses on education and research in the core creative forces of design, technology, management and policy perspectives, and there is no other graduate school in the world that covers all four fields.
2．About Keio-NUS CUTE Center
(1) Location: Within the NUS and Keio University Hiyoshi Campus “Collaboration
Complex” which will be inaugurated in Summer 2008.
(2) Focus of research:
1. Research topics
(a) Communication and lifestyle media
To create a new infrastructure and content for new values that meet with various lifestyles. Example: clothing that changes how it looks based on the wearer’s feelings
(b) Media telescope Asia
Continuously monitor and analyze information on the media to create a business model. Example: Through which channel and media does a popular Japanese cartoon become popular in other Asian countries? Analyzing this can lead to creating a new business model.
(c) Global computing
By connecting numerous computers on the network, production of useful contents in large scale can be promoted. Example: Creating a global content such as a cartoon character, which tends to be the first opportunity to learn about Japan for most children in foreign countries, and appealing for political approach to improve protection of such intellectual properties.
2. Objectives
(a) To activate the global digital media and Creative Industries
- Fostering human resources in these industries
- Starting new businesses in these industries
- Technology licensing
(b) To promote global research on digital media
- Patents
- Academic papers
- Nurturing researchers
(3) Main staffs of Keio University
Masa Inakage Dean, Keio University Graduate School of Media Design Specialized in entertainment designing, media art, digital cinema and computer graphics
Keiko Okawa Professor, Keio University Graduate School of Media Design
Specialized in digital communication and educational environment, establishment of educational infrastructure in Asia
Adrian Cheok Professor, Keio University Graduate School of Media Design
As an authority on media design, Prof. Cheok taught at the National University of Singapore. With the establishment of KMD, he transferred to Keio University. He is specialized in entertainment computing, interaction designing and MR (Mixed Reality).
Jun Murai Vice-President and Professor of the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University.
Specialized in computer communication and operating systems
3．Comments of those involved in the establishment of Keio-NUS CUTE Center
(1) Mr. Micheal Yap, Executive Director, IDMPO
"It is Singapore's great pleasure to form a strategic partnership with a top Japanese institution like Keio University. With Japan being widely regarded as a key leader in Interactive Digital Media (IDM), Singapore researchers will find rich opportunities for breakthrough research with their counterparts in Japan. The partnership is envisaged to deepen Singapore's IDM research and development capabilities and position Singapore as a preferred gateway between the East and West in IDM technologies."
(2) Prof. Jun Murai, Vice-President, Keio University
By establishing Keio-NUS CUTE Center in Singapore, which is a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual, Keio University will be able to implement an advanced research in the fields of media and culture. In Japan and Singapore, as a gateway to Southeast Asia, we aim at contributing to the development of digital media and Creative Industries for the world. We will actively collaborate with top researchers to produce results, so that this research center will also help promote international expansion of Keio University.
(3) Prof. Masa Inakage, Dean of the Graduate School of Media Design, Keio University
We are experiencing the emergence of a “creative society”, a world in which creativity, rather than productivity or efficiency, is the driving force of the global economy. The creative society is a connected society, both the Internet and ubiquitous network are in place, to redistribute resources on a global scale and to expand human creativity in everyday life. This research center will focus on innovative researches around the theme of “5 Seconds of Fun”, to reshape our lifestyle in the connected society. We bring in experts from various disciplines including technologists, designers, and ethnographers.
4．References
(1)About the Graduate School of Media Design, Keio University
The Graduate School of Media Design was established in April 2008, aiming at fostering global leaders who can manage creative activities in the fields of digital media, content and design, who can create and innovate new generations of digital media and who can revolutionize the industry. In order to lead the global community in the field of media design, it has adopted a practical research project called REAL PROJECTS, and implements joint researches with international and domestic partner institutions.
(2)About the National University of Singapore (NUS)
The three universities of Singapore are all national universities, and the National University of Singapore, which was founded in 1905, is the largest among the three. Bearing one of the world’s best research facilities and advanced IT environment, it offers broad-based courses from architecture to medicine to music. Reflecting the multi-ethnicity of Singapore, over 30,000 students from 100 countries study at NUS. NUS is also a partner institution of Keio University
