SoVaDe Kickoff Symposium Held

On July 26, UOsaka Social Value Design Organization (SoVaDe) held its kickoff symposium.

SoVaDe was established in April 2026 to strengthen the foundation for collaborative education and research activities with society and, through engagement with diverse stakeholders, contribute to the development of social systems that protect all forms of life while respecting human dignity.

The symposium, sponsored by the General Incorporarted Association Inochi Forum, was conducted in a hybrid format, allowing participants to attend both on site and online. The on-site venue was the Saji Keizo Memorial Hall on the 10th floor of Nakanoshima Center. The symposium attracted approximately 120 on-site participants, including members of the public and representatives of UOsaka, as well as around 50 online viewers.

The event began with opening remarks from President KUMANOGOH Atsushi, followed by a presentation from TAKEMURA Keiko, Executive Vice President and founding Director of SoVaDe, outlining the purpose and vision of the Institute.

The symposium then featured a keynote speech entitled “Life and the Way We Live” by IKEGAMI Kiyoko, Chairperson of Plan International Japan and a Director of Inochi Forum. From a global perspective, she discussed the current state of social challenges surrounding women’s education and the advancement of women, and shared her expectations for SoVaDe.

This was followed by a moderated discussion titled “The History and Future Expectations of the University of Osaka's Society-University Co-Creation.”

The talk session brought together the speakers listed below, who looked back on UOsaka's achievements in co-creation with society and discussed their expectations for SoVaDe's future initiatives.

KOBAYASHI Tadashi (Vice Director, International Institute for Advanced Studies; Former Executive Senior Executive Vice President of UOsaka)
MITSUNARI Kenji (Auditor, Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases of Osaka University; Former Executive Senior Executive Vice President of UOsaka)
DOME Takuo (Representative Director, Inochi Forum; Specially Appointed Professor, Social Solution Initiative)
KISHIMOTO Atsuo (Director, The University of Osaka Research Center on Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues)
TAKEMURA Keiko (Executive Vice President of UOsaka; Director of SoVaDe; facilitator of the symposium)

A poster session held during the break highlighted the activities of the 11 SoVaDe-affiliated organizations involved in co-creation with society. The session was well attended and bustling with activity.

A panel discussion featuring speakers from various generations from SoVaDe-affiliated organizations was held in the latter half of the symposium.

The speakers presented new initiatives they hope to pursue following the establishment of SoVaDe, as well as the stakeholders with whom they would like to strengthen collaboration in the future. A lively discussion followed, providing a valuable opportunity for exchanging ideas that will help shape the future growth and development of SoVaDe.

Speakers
FUJII Shota (Associate Professor, Social Solution Initiative)
YAMOTO Kimi (Associate Professor, Diversity and Community Engagement Research Center)
KONDO Mika (Associate Professor, Diversity and Community Engagement Research Center)
OTANI Masaki (46th class of the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management; trainee of Okuma Town Board of Education in Fukushima Prefecture; Alumni of UOsaka’s School of Law)
HIBINO Hiroshi (Director, Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics)
UEDA Sayoko (Professor, Museum Links)
TAKEMURA Keiko (Executive Vice President of UOsaka; Director of SoVaDe; facilitator of the symposium)

The symposium came to a close with remarks delivered by KAWAHARA Genta, Vice Director of SoVaDe.

Prior to the symposium, on July 21, the organizations affiliated with SoVaDe participated in the Promotion Council for Collaboration with Suita City.

Representatives from various departments of Suita City, including Vice Mayor TATSUTANI Yoshiaki, attended the meeting, and participants engaged in active discussions on future collaboration.

Vice Mayor TATSUTANI voiced his expectations for future collaboration, commenting, “We look forward to working together to build a better community by applying UOsaka’s excellent research outcomes to society,” and “By jointly exploring the concept of social value, we may be able to identify new and meaningful opportunities for collaboration.”

In the closing remarks, Senior Executive Vice President TANAKA Toshihiro expressed his enthusiasm for future collaboration, noting, “With the launch of SoVaDe, we hope to go beyond the frameworks of individual education and research units and work more closely with society through interdisciplinary initiatives that create social value. Through SoVaDe, we would like to maintain ongoing dialogue built on personal connections and mutual understanding.”

Going forward, SoVaDe will continue its journey alongside its stakeholders. We look forward to your continued interest in and support for SoVaDe's activities.

[Related links]
UOsaka Social Value Design Organization (SoVaDe)
https://sovade.osaka-u.ac.jp/ (link in Japanese)
Collaboration between UOsaka and Suita City
https://www.city.suita.osaka.jp/shisei/1018880/1018929/1039734/index.html (link in Japanese)