□ Monthly Message
Engineering has always developed through its relationship with society. Today, I would like to address our vision for co-creation—how the university and society generate new values together.
Imperial College of Engineering, one of the historical roots of the School of Engineering, was founded to support modern Japan through practical engineering education. While times have changed, our core mission remains unchanged: confronting societal challenges through science and technology. Engagement with society is not a new mandate for engineering, but something deeply rooted in its origins.
At the same time, the relationship between academia and society is evolving. Today, it is no longer enough to simply deliver university research outcomes to society. It has become increasingly vital to identify new challenges through dialogue with society, conduct collaborative research, and co-create new values.
In this sense, collaboration with society serves not only as the "exit" for research outcomes, but also as the "entry point" where new research inquiries emerge.
□ At the Forefront
The School of Engineering advances co-creation with industry and society through Corporate & External Relations Planning Office (CERPO). Beyond joint research, our touchpoints have expanded to over 80 social cooperation programs across diverse fields.
These partnerships are taking varied forms—from research-derived startups and donation-based support to long-term mechanisms like endowments that sustain our research and educational foundation.
The true value lies beyond merely scaling up these initiatives. Dialogue between our researchers and external partners with diverse perspectives helps us uncover challenges invisible from within academia, sparking entirely new avenues of research.
□ A Call for Dialogue
New engineering is born when lab-cultivated knowledge meets societal questions.
As the School of Engineering, we will leverage our dialogue with society to advance research and education, working alongside all of you to shape the future through engineering.