Report on Community-University Collaboration given by Osaka University and Minoh City at the 21st Library Fair and Forum

On Tuesday, November 12, 2019, the 8 ^th Leaders’ Forum entitled “A New Form of Community-University Collaboration – Endeavors by Minoh City and Osaka University” at the 21 ^st Library Fair and Forum, held at Pacifico Yokohama. At the Forum, Osaka University President NISHIO Shojiro and Minoh City Mayor KURATA Tetsuro gave a report on the “Agreement regarding the relocation of the Osaka University Minoh Campus” concluded in April 2016.

At the forum, a full house of some 200 attendees listened intently to report on the overview and future prospects of a new library to be opened simultaneously with the relocation of the Minoh Campus . The library built by Minoh City will be run for free by Osaka University.

Introducing the history and overview of Osaka University and its policy on social contribution activity, President Nishio talked about the university’s efforts in operating a city library, which also functions as a university library, the first of its kind in Japan, through strengthening of its collaboration with Minoh City.

Next, Mayor Kurata spoke about the background of the establishment of this new library from a local government standpoint, as well as the advantages and future prospects of promoting urban development together with a university.

The reports emphasized advantages for both parties: the university members can expand their activity in cooperation with the local community and the city can be revitalized by the university, showing great expectations for this new endeavor.

During the panel discussion held at the end of the Forum, the possibilities of new endeavors that take advantage of the library, that is, using the place as a source of knowledge of the university, for example, as a space for children’s ICT (Information, Communication, and Technology) literacy education and lifelong education, were presented.

A scene from the Forum

President Nishio (left) and Mayor Kurata deliver speeches at the Forum

A scene from the panel discussion