On Thursday, August 20, 2026, the J-PEAKS Collaborative Symposium “Social Transformation Driven by the Revival of Knowledge: University Governance Reform and the Forefront of J-PEAKS Co-creation” was held in a hybrid format—combining in-person and online participation—at Nagaoka University of Technology (NUT)'s Regional GX Innovation Co-Creation Center.

This symposium was organized as an opportunity to bring together NUT, partner universities, and participating institutions to share the status of this project’s initiatives and future plans, as well as to introduce the selected research units, with the aim of fostering collaboration.

In his opening remarks at the symposium, President Shigeharu Kamado expressed his gratitude to the partner organizations that have supported the initiative over the past year. He also shared his aspiration to use today’s gathering as a starting point to further deepen and accelerate collaboration toward the overarching goal of the co-evolution of societal sustainability and university sustainability.

In the subsequent session, “Initiatives and Future Plans at Each University,” following a presentation by President Kamado of NUT, President Hiroyuki Sakuragi of Osaka Metropolitan University, President Monte Cassim of Akita International University, and President Takamichi Sugihara of Niigata University of Pharmacy and Medical Life Sciences—all partner universities—gave presentations on their respective cutting-edge initiatives and future prospects.

During the subsequent “Research Unit Introduction” session, Vice President Masahiro Iwahashi explained the program, followed by presentations from the leaders of the seven research units, who shared their specific visions and plans for interdisciplinary research.

In the special lecture that followed, Daisuke Baba, a Specially Appointed Professor at NUT (Team Leader, Startup Support Department, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)) introduced the latest startup support measures implemented by the government and NEDO, as well as trends in “carve-outs.” NUT's unique and ambitious vision for driving regional communities forward, including “Re-Startup,” an initiative designed to encourage the relaunch of local businesses, was also presented.

Following that, lively discussions took place among the participants during poster sessions organized by each research unit and facility tours. Furthermore, a networking event was held after the symposium, providing an opportunity for participants to foster mutual understanding across organizational boundaries and exchange ideas for future collaboration, making it a highly meaningful occasion.

This symposium was attended by 143 participants (84 in person and 59 online), including representatives from partner universities, participating organizations, and members of our university community. The event not only deepened understanding of specific initiatives but also generated momentum to further strengthen sustainable collaboration and accelerate our cooperative relationships moving forward. Moving forward, our university will continue to strive to further strengthen our research capabilities, driven by “co-creation” with partner institutions that possess diverse strengths. We will also work to transform the achievements of university reform through this initiative into powerful social change, and dedicate our full efforts to the co-evolution of sustainability between society and the university.