Purpose and Concept of the SDC
The Social Design Center (SDC) is a hub for fostering knowledge and talent that connects society with the university and promotes the generation of new value through co-creation.
By bringing together diverse entities—including universities, companies, and local governments—and combining their respective expertise and resources, the SDC aims to generate knowledge and develop talent to solve societal and regional challenges and create new value.
The SDC builds a framework that connects students’ learning with real-world practice in society and industry and fosters mutual growth and development.
Specifically, students apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the classroom (acquisition) to real-world projects (practice), and through these experiences, they further deepen their learning (deepening).
On the other hand, society and businesses transform their activities and organizational structures (transformation) by incorporating new perspectives and ideas through practical efforts to solve challenges together with students, thereby leading to the creation of new value (co-creation).
In this way, we create a structure that enables the growth of students and the development of society and businesses to interact and circulate, with “practice” as the starting point.
Through this collaborative process, insights and knowledge that contribute to the creation of new value are accumulated, while all participating entities deepen their experience and learning, paving the way for future challenges.
Furthermore, we will build a sustainable foundation that connects education, research and society by establishing a mechanism for industry-academia-government collaboration and by implementing projects.
MISSION / VISION / VALUES
MISSION
We bridge society and the university to, through co-creation, generate knowledge and develop talent, both of which are necessary for the creation of new value and societal transformation.
By creating a virtuous cycle of education, research and practice, we cultivate change leaders and promote the generation of insights and new possibilities that contribute to solving societal challenges.
VISION
We aim to realize an innovation ecosystem where value creation is driven by a chain reaction of co-creation.
By connecting diverse entities across sectors and perspectives to create a “spiral of co-creation,” we will expand our impact from the local community to society as a whole.
VALUES
① Cross Boundaries
Go beyond the confines of disciplines, organizations, and roles to bring together diverse perspectives.
② Co-create
Create new value together through dialogue and collaboration.
③ Put into Practice
Go beyond concepts, test them in society, learn from such tests, and turn them into value.
④ Keep Learning
Learn from experience, re-examine assumptions, and use the insights gained to tackle the next challenge.
⑤ Keep Asking Questions
Continue to pose fundamental questions by challenging existing assumptions.
Message from the SDC Director
The challenges facing society and local communities are becoming increasingly complex against the backdrop of population decline and shifts in industrial structure. Even for companies and local governments, an increasing number of issues cannot be solved by a simple extension of the past, indicating the fact that we have entered an era that demands the creation of new value and transformation.
In this day and age, we believe it is essential that entities with different perspectives and standpoints work together to create new value, rather than addressing issues through a single organization or specialized field alone.
The Social Design Center (SDC) is a hub that connects diverse entities—including universities, businesses, and local governments—to foster the knowledge and talent needed to generate new value for society by combining their respective expertise and experiences. We place great importance on building a relationship where education, research and practice are not disconnected but instead form a mutually reinforcing cycle.
Furthermore, we see great potential in Hiroshima as the field in which to advance these initiatives. Hiroshima not only possesses urban functions and industrial clusters, but also provides an environment where, due to the proximity of diverse entities, businesses, local governments, and universities can collaborate organically.
We view Hiroshima as a “City of Social Implementation.” This environment, where diverse entities are in close proximity and can engage in repeated dialogue and practice, holds great potential not only for conceiving new value but also for testing and refining it in the real world.
For students, linking classroom learning to practice in real-world settings fosters deeper understanding and practical skills. For companies and local governments, collaboration with the university provides opportunities to gain new perspectives and insights. We believe that this collaborative process itself serves as a source for creating new value in society.
Our goal is not merely to solve issues, but to continually think about the way society should be and open up new possibilities. To this end, the SDC will continue to provide opportunities for diverse entities to meet, engage in dialogue, and take on challenges together.
This initiative is not designed for any specific individual; rather, it is something we build together with everyone involved. We would be delighted if you would join the SDC as a partner—someone who brings their own perspective and expertise to the table, asks questions, thinks, and takes on challenges together with us.
Please look forward to the SDC’s initiatives as a practical platform connecting society and the university, and as a starting point for the creation of new value.
Director, Center for Partnership and Research Promotion
SODA Yoshinobu