Shaping a Future of the Planet and Humanity Together: Highlights from Tokyo College’s 5th Anniversary Symposium

On December 18, 2024, Tokyo College celebrated its fifth anniversary with a special symposium held at Sanjo Conference Hall on Hongo Campus. Attended by over 200 participants both in-person and online, the event brought together distinguished researchers and institutional leaders from a variety of fields to reflect on the college’s achievements and share a vision for its future.

The symposium, moderated by Professor HOSHI Takeo (Director, Tokyo College), opened with remarks by Professor OSHIMA Marie (Deputy Director, Tokyo College). Highlighting a few of the institute’s core values—research collaboration, public engagement, and diversity—she set the stage for the discussions that took place over the next three sessions, each of which featured a 15-minute congratulatory address followed by a 45-minute lecture.

Professor GONOKAMI Makoto (President, RIKEN/Former President, The University of Tokyo) discussed the founding vision of Tokyo College and its pivotal role within the University of Tokyo’s global strategy and outreach.Associate Professor EMA Arisa (Tokyo College) presented findings from her research on fostering relationships between humans, robots, and AI to build a more inclusive society.

As part of her talk, she engaged in a conversation with Naoki and Yuki, two “pilots” with disabilities who operated remotely the humanoid robot OriHime.

Professor Emeritus HANEDA Masashi (Former Director, Tokyo College) reflected on how the college’s events and collaborations embody the values of interdisciplinarity, public engagement, and institutional adaptability. After his congratulatory address, Professor HANEDA received a bouquet from Professor Andrew GORDON in recognition of his designation as a Person of Cultural Merit by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

Professor Andrew GORDON (Ushioda Fellow, Tokyo College/Professor, Harvard University) discussed how the Heritage Studies collaborative research group and Tokyo College as a whole serve as flexible “third spaces” that attract visitors both from within the University of Tokyo and from international institutions.

President FUJII Teruo (The University of Tokyo) spoke about Tokyo College’s role as a world-class platform for co-creating knowledge. He expressed his hope that the institute will continue to act as a model and a catalyst for research that benefits the global public.

Professor SHIMAZU Naoko (Tokyo College) and Associate Professor Michael FACIUS (Tokyo College) co-presented on the institute’s five research themes and its commitment to transdisciplinarity, which make Tokyo College an internationally attractive intellectual hub.

The symposium concluded with remarks from Professor AIHARA Hiroaki (Executive Vice President, The University of Tokyo). Reflecting on his role as one of the executive members at the university who helped found and support Tokyo College in its early days, he expressed pride in how the institute is fulfilling its mission of creating an environment where knowledge produced at the university is shared with society.

As the symposium came to a close, the speakers’ reflections jointly underscored the significant progress Tokyo College has made in advancing its mission of public engagement and promoting intellectual exchange. Shared among the speakers was the expectation that Tokyo College will continue to grow while maintaining its original commitment to co-creating knowledge that brings positive impacts to local and global societies. By deepening its relationships with researchers and international institutions over the next five years and beyond, the college will further solidify its position as a world-class platform for groundbreaking research and interdisciplinary collaborations.