Priorities:Tohoku University Student Priorities
Contents
- 1 Innovation hub I-River
- 2 Increase awareness with Design thinking demo workshop for students
- 3 Campus Retreat (2022-)
- 4 Reinvented Design Workshop
- 5 Amplifying global outreach and productivity by the Virtual University
- 6 Portal site as a wholistic information source
- 7 Match the executor with the plan
Innovation hub I-River
Background
At Tohoku University, there are students who are motivated but have given up trying for some reasons, such as "I want to do something, but I don't have any ideas" or "I have something I want to do, but I don't have any friends and there are not enough supports. In addition, the culture of design thinking has not taken root among Japanese students, and there seems to be a resistance to updating a single thing or idea by incorporating outside opinions and rethinking it repeatedly. As a result, each idea often ends up being a personal satisfaction, and not an idea that is generally recognized as useful. There is a need to incorporate design thinking as a way to transform individual ideas into projects beneficial for society.
Challenge
We will build a network that can connect and help the students mentioned above. In addition, we will establish a culture in Tohoku University where design thinking is used on a daily basis.
Target
Student organization leaders (first stage), all Tohoku University students (final stage)
Increase awareness with Design thinking demo workshop for students
Background
As mentioned above, the culture of using Design Thinking has not taken root at Tohoku University. In order for students to be able to apply Design Thinking to their own activities without resistance, we need to promote Design Thinking not only to the current leaders but also to freshmen and students who are starting new projects. However, since design thinking is not being taught to all students in the current curricula, we need opportunities to make them aware of its necessity and effectiveness.
Challenge
Promote the necessary and effective use of design thinking to first-year students and those who are starting a new project, either from entrepreneurship classes or purely from their interests.
Target
First-year students and those who are starting a new project are the main goals to achieve. Exposing young students to design thinking mindset will generate a positive wave of impact throughout their 4-year journey.
Campus Retreat (2022-)
Background
As far as we interviewed with students in Tohoku University, we found that there are certainly some students who have a sense of disconnectedness with friends and families particularly for international students. Also we met students who have a vague and continuous concern for their future. At the same time, we lost time just for random conversation with friends as Covid damped every offline class. And we realized there are not many opportunities to get to know each other as deeply as we understand their background and personality. As a result, I came up with up an idea of creating an environments for them to speak up what they want to share and to be around other who can empathy themselves, as well as they have a break time with tea.
Challenge
Obviously it is hard to make them speak up what they want to share with totally strangers. This is the most difficult part when we are going to get others engage with us. But it is fun to break that. We start small and think big to make Aobayama campus innovative but supportive. The thing we are going to do is to set up weekly retreat for trials and eventually it becomes monthly events. An other challenge in the face of us is what make them feel I-river at home. In the future, this place should be a place where students can have a multicultural conversation with others. We should start with small number of peoples as well as investigating what the really need is.
Target
We are targeting students who study at Aobayama campus in Tohoku University. There are lots of international students and many of them are busy with their academic works. So we would like to set up places they can stay away from their work and have a little fun with others who have same senses.
Reinvented Design Workshop
Background
Design Thinking has not been adopted by general students at Tohoku University. Some students might not even know what it is. After analyzing the campus, we found that students in the university also seek more events where they can establish connections. Therefore, we came up with this event to let students know about others while experiencing some parts of Design Thinking.
Challenge
Let students of any background know and, ultimately, familiarize themselves with the use of design thinking. Meanwhile, we must make sure that the event is made comfortable so that people can socialize. Finally, we are to make everyone find design thinking useful in their projects.
Target
Students of any background, special attention to active students who regularly seek activities to join. Another target is a teacher that wants to introduce design thinking activities to his or her students; that can be applicable to laboratory professors who want to use a design thinking session for their research work.
Amplifying global outreach and productivity by the Virtual University
Background
As a result of the pandemic, many students miss the opportunities to engage in classes like they used to. Even some students are still stuck in their countries despite having already gone through the first year of study. This situation induces immense stress and fatigue in them and thus gradually limited their willpower and motivation during the day. In addition, The university sticks to the traditional (?) Zoom and Google meet when holding classes and events, including ones that consist of students from abroad. The old-school way of video conferences does not promote proper discussions. After the session ends, the meeting closes, everyone went on their way, and actually very few have their conversation continued. From all these problems, we think that the education system can be made more fun and less mind-taxing to both students and faculty to counter the burdens of the pandemic and further create a sustainable environment and ecosystem in the long run.
Challenge
We have a plan to use existing tools and innovations to enhance the working, learning, and conferencing environment for students and faculties and combine them into one big space that all of them can join at the same time, from their homes.
Target
All students and faculty members, especially those who are learning or teaching online, either in Japan or abroad. This can be further extended to include students from other universities and overseas to join in events, and joint classes held in the virtual university.
Portal site as a wholistic information source
Background
Even though our university provides vast kind of learning opportunities such as programs, classes, competition, Those information exist flagrantly . Students are passionated to take any action but they wonder where and how they are able to work on. On the contrary, students who already completed such kinds of activities do not have any place to output their valuable experience. If we are able to connect "beginner" : students who are looking for the chance, and "alumni" :students who have experience, it will be inclusion and innovation.
Challenge
Phase 1 create the place
To create the website as platform, we plan to organize a web design contest. The winner gain the opportunity to create actual website as our platform site.
Phase 2 collect information
We ask juniors and seniors and Masters to give comment about their experience, evaluation of activities. About institution side, we ask each department office to provide information .
Phase 3 SNS advertise
Through SNS, advertise to students who are looking for something exciting, especially freshman and sophomores
Target
All students who want to tackle new things but they do not reach out enough resources to make their plans. .
Match the executor with the plan
Background
The results of interviews show us that Tohoku University students who want to contribute to Tohoku University are decreasing as the school year progresses. So, I want to make more people who are in Tohoku University like it and feel we belong to it. Therefore, I suggest that A lot of plans that are proposed and discarded and students that want to do something new match. By this, we can make Tohoku University growing with students.
Challenge
A lot of plans and executors match
Target
All people who are in Tohoku University
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