Changes

==='''Strategy #1 Innovation Sparker: Design Thinking Intensive ProgramImproving Information Sharing on the Loyola Bulletin Board'''===

After analyzing the Landscape Canvas, it seems that Sophia University does have have many provides students with a vast amount of information about upcoming events, student life, extracurricular activities, scholarships, study abroad programs or events offered to students that emphasize , and focus more through a bulletin board on innovation and critical thinking from the mindset of the real-worldLoyola Web Service. University students sometimes can be seen However, as being enclosed within an academia bubble whereas when they graduate we conducted research and start looking interviews for ways to make an impact outside of their communitythe Landscape Canvas, they don't know where to start. Not exposing we found that many students have a difficult time accessing this information due to opportunities that could open up their perspectives on innovation is preventing many from help testing their knowledgeissues with the search function, abilitieslanguage barriers, and potential to make a greater impactnumber of other reasons. According Not only do these barriers make it difficult for students to some answers we received access general information provided by the University, but they also prevent students from the interviews easily finding opportunities related to Innovation and surveys conductedEntrepreneurship. Therefore, it we developed the assumption that the Loyola bulletin board is noticeable many students have some knowledge in I&E but do not know where they can apply working as well as itshould. By creating a 3-week long education program on Design Thinking followed In order to address this, our idea is to improve information sharing at Sophia by a 5-week consulting enhancing the current bulletin board. We hope that our research and creation period, an environment where students findings can apply their learned knowledge to solve real-life problems, network with industries, be a catalyst for more extensive developments of Loyola and take the act as a first step into the path in improving information sharing at Sophia so that a greater number of change-makingboth Japanese and international students can learn about I&E resources and opportunities that are available on campus.

We will need to discuss what possibilities there are to improve the existing platform with the Loyola Web Admins at Sophia. Through the feedback we received from students via a questionnaire, we found that while there are some students who are satisfied with the current system, the majority of students are dissatisfied with the system and face common problems. Therefore, we believe that some minor modifications and the addition of several functions can have a significant impact on how students perceive the Loyola bulletin board and make important information even more accessible than it is now. Some of the changes we want to make to the Loyola bulletin board include: 1). An own category for I&E 2). A function to save posts 3-Week Online Design Thinking Crash Course --> ). A filter function to separate posts written in English and Japanese 4). Adding more information written in English and making it easier to find 5-Week Project Development ). Adding more specific categories and Mentoring --> Competition (theme-baseda way to filter them 6). The ability to customize the type of information students receive by email.

The 3-week long bilingual (Jap/Eng) Design Thinking program would be limited to Sophia University students and staff/faculty teaching the basics of design thinking applications and analyzing the resources available within campus===='''Steps:'''====1. After completing the programCreate a first prototype, participants a vision of how we imagine it can choose to either continue the full program or stop just at the crash courselook like. 2. Those who choose to continue will be introduced to Based on the theme for the competition where the projects they will develop must address feedback gathered from students on their experiences and provide solutions to opinions about the given problem. During the 5-week project development and creation periodbulletin board’s functions, students are free make a more detailed list of improvements we want to work with either English/Japanese students to build their projectsmake.Thgroughout this period all students will have access to mentoring and support from the program3. After completing their projects participants would face each other Get in touch with the Innovation Sparker Competition where external groups may also sign up as long as their project fits web administration at Sophia and explain to them the theme. This competition would serve as a gateway for university-industry collaborations since businesses/companies could invest in potential employees by providing support through monetary means or by becoming judges wishes of the competition. Participants would then pitch their project/solutions to a panel of judges consisting of: companies, professors, guest speakers, students, president, aluminis. In addition , find out if they are willing to getting the chance work with us to experience improve the entire process bulletin board. 4. Make adjustments based on possible limitations of how to bring an idea into fruition, winners would also receive prize money, recognition from the companies and the university, a wider web of networking, Loyola site. 5. Launch the opportunity to get scouted by companiesnew, and/or graduation creditsimproved Loyola bulletin board. The curriculum for the program can be seen below:

Curriculum==='''Strategy #2: (1 QuarterSophia Interdisciplinary Forum'''== 8 weeks= Length of Summer break)

- Design Thinking Introduction===='''Background: What '''====Sophia University’s main campus in Yotsuya, Tokyo, is its purpose? its effecthome to a wide range of faculties and graduate schools in both the sciences and humanities. However, through our research and interviews, we recognized that there are still many divides that exist between departments that make it difficult for students, faculty, and staff to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration. We believe that these barriers are stifling creativity and innovation. Therefore, we started to ask ourselves: “How might we create a space that brings together students from many different departments? Why is it important” and “How might we break down the invisible walls between students, faculty, and staff? ” The idea we had was to create a quarterly forum where it anyone can freely join to discuss a wide range of topics that fit under the overarching theme of sustainability. Through the Interdisciplinary Forum, we aim to provide a safe and welcoming space that fosters communication, collaboration, and connection among students, faculty, and staff at Sophia. By breaking down disciplinary walls and bringing people together, we hope to promote more creative thinking and inspire participants to collaborate on innovative projects together. The Forum will act as a precursor to the Innovation Sparker Program (Strategy #3) and other I&E related activities on campus that can be used/applied? provide students with further skills to go through with possible ideas and projects to initiate change.

- Explain the steps to design thinking.  Second Week===='''Structure: '''==== The Interdisciplinary Forum will take place on a quarterly basis (once every three months), and it will be student- Design Thinking Brainstorming led and student- Analyze a Design Thinking Model Projects centered. However, it will also be welcome to all faculty and staff at Sophia who are interested in discussing topics and how creators applied their knowledge themes related to problem-solve - Guest Speaker Invitation  Third Week: - Analysis sustainability with students. To facilitate this Forum, we will need to organize a core group of competition theme - Introduced to students who can decide the resources the university provides - Group Brainstorming  End of Base Design Thinking Introduction Program  Fourth-Eighth Week  Group Check-Insquarterly themes, Prototypinginvite guest speakers, Testing, Refining, Preparation manage the social media platforms for competitionadvertising the forum, creating presentations, slides  Competition Weekand oversee other important matters. This would also require the support of faculty and staff. The Forum will start conversations among different members of Sophia and influence participants to become more open to new ideas and ways of thinking.

1. Conducting further research Share our ideas with students, professors, and staff members in order to accurately determine collect feedback on specific matters, such as how to structure the Forum and what themes to include. 2. Define what makes this Forum distinct from other gatherings at Sophia. 3. Contact students, faculty, and staff who might be interested in organizing and/or participating in the Forum, such as those affiliated with SPSF. 4. Organize a group of students who can act as the desirability core facilitators, as well as a group of faculty and staff who are willing to provide their support. 5. Decide what some of program the quarterly themes for the Forum could be. 6. Decide whether this Forum will be conducted online or in person (if in person, where?) 7. Invite guest speakers to participate in the Forum. 8. Advertise on social media and the University bulletin boards (including Loyola).

2. Consult with Sophia University professors if they==='d be interested in helping host the program or becoming guest speakers ''Strategy #3: Innovation Sparker: Design Thinking Intensive Program'''===

4===='''Background:'''====From our work with mapping out the opportunities that students at Sophia have to pursue I&E, we noticed that there is a need for more programs and events that focus on fostering innovative and critical thinking to solve real-world problems. Propose idea For many students, I&E can seem like a complicated and intimidating field, requiring a specific skill set. Our goal, however, is to show students at Sophia University that everyone can take advantage of learning how to utilize an innovative mindset and see if learn important techniques like Design Thinking. Furthermore, the school is willing to support interviews and surveys we conducted revealed that many students have some knowledge about I&E but do not know where they can apply it or evolve their ideas. Based on this, we developed the idea of creating a 3-week long educational program financiallyon Design Thinking, followed by a 5-week consulting and creation period. This will provide a space where students can get exposed to Design Thinking, apply their learned knowledge to solve real-life problems, publiclynetwork with industries, and/or academically (considering take the program first step in becoming a graduation credit course) changemaker.

5. Contact UIF fellows to ask if some would like to become guest speakers for the program  6. Perform trial programs to test out teaching methods and how long to execute a project.  7. Release program and start accepting applicants.   ===='''Strategy #2Structure: Sophia Interdisciplinary Forum'''====3-Week Online Design Thinking Crash Course --> 5-Week Project Development and Mentoring --> Competition (theme-based)

===='''BackgroundCurriculum:'''(1 Quarter =8 weeks ===At Sophia University, I&E resources are limited and tend to be more easily accessible to specific students, such as those studying science and technology, business, economics, and management. Students in other departments – particularly those studying the humanities – have fewer opportunities to engage with innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity. This has created a gap between students. In addition, through the research we conducted for the Landscape Canvas, we determined that the I&E and creativity culture at Sophia was a 3 out of 10. As this number indicates, Sophia has not provided the best environment for students to grow their innovative or creative minds. Through the Interdisciplinary Forum, we aim to bring together Sophia University’s wide range Length of faculties and graduate schools in both the sciences and humanities and provide a space where students and faculty members can connect, exchange ideas, and build collaborative relationships.Summer break)

===='''StructureFirst Week:'''====The Interdisciplinary Forum will take place on a quarterly basis (once every three months) for students and faculty at Sophia University to discuss topics and themes related to I&E1. To facilitate this forum, we will need to organize a group of students, faculty, and staff who Design Thinking Introduction: What is its purpose or its effect? Why is it important? Where can decide the quarterly themes, invite guest speakers, manage it be used or applied? 2. Explain the social media platforms for advertising the forum, and oversee other important matters. Through these forums, we hope to influence students to become more open steps to new ideas, collaborate with different students from a wide range of departments and faculties, and achieve a more interdisciplinary community at Sophiadesign thinking.

===='''StepsSecond Week:'''====1. Share our ideas with students and professors in order to collect feedback on specific matters, such as how to structure the forum and what themes to includeDesign Thinking Brainstorming.2. Define what makes this forum distinct from other gatherings at Sophia.3. Contact students Analyze Design Thinking Model Projects and faculty members who might be interested in organizing and/or participating in the forum, such as students and professors belonging how creators apply their knowledge to SPSFsolve problems.4. Organize a group of students, faculty, and staff who can act as the core facilitators.53. Decide what some of the quarterly themes for the forum could be (e.g., I&E and sustainability).6. Decide whether this forum will be conducted online or in person (if in person, where?)7. Invite guest speakers to participate in the forum.8. Advertise on social media and the university bulletin boards (including Loyola)Guest Speaker Invitation.

===='''Background:'''====While doing our research for the landscape canvasGroup Check-Ins, we noticed that although Sophia University provides a lot of information for its studentsPrototyping, it may be difficult to access that information if not delivered directly to the student. This seems especially to be the issue in regards to Innovation and Entrepreneurship. For students to get interested in I&ETesting, it is important that the information about the opportunities the University provides is easily accessible to the students. Our assumption is that the Web Platform (Loyola) where most information is collected on a bulletin boardRefining, is not working as well as it should. It can be difficult to search Preparation for specific informationcompetition, Creating presentations and there also seems to be a language barrier, as some information is not available in English. Therefore, one of our goals is to improve the information delivery of Sophia, mainly through improvement of the Loyola bulletin boardslides.

1. Create a first prototype, a vision Conduct further research to accurately determine the desirability of how we imagine it can look like. Furthermore, we have gathered feedback from students on their experiences and opinions about the Bulletin board’s functionsprogram. 2. Based on Consult with Sophia University professors if they would be interested in helping to host the feedback, make a more detailed list of improvements we want to makeprogram or becoming guest speakers. 3. Get Contact several companies interested in touch partnering up with the web administration at Sophia and explain University to them the wishes help support a program like this. Gage their interest in hiring winners of the program and sponsoring some students, as well. 4. Propose our idea to Sophia University administration and find out see if they are willing to work with us support the program financially, publicly, and/or academically (by counting credits towards students’ graduation requirements). 5. Contact UIF fellows to ask if some would like to improve become guest speakers for the Bulletin boardprogram. 46. Make adjustments based on possible limitations of the Loyola sitePerform trial programs to test out teaching methods and how long to execute a project. 57. Launch the new, improved Loyola Bulletin boardRelease program and start accepting applicants.