Learning Innovation Grand Prix 2026 Winners Decided - 10th Annual Event Connects University Research to Industry

The Learning Innovation Consortium (LIC), headquartered in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, with Taiji Kawaguchi as Representative Director, has announced the winners of the "Learning Innovation Grand Prix 2026 (LIGP2026)," an award recognizing innovative learning and educational research originating from higher education institutions. In this 10th anniversary event, the Grand Prize was awarded to research from the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Monozukuri University for their work in transmitting the "sensory knowledge" of skilled engineers across distances. The award ceremony and winner presentations will be held on July 14, 2026, at the Tokyo International Forum.

Background and Objectives: Bridging Academic Research to Societal Implementation The LIGP aims to create opportunities that bridge excellent research outcomes and insights from academia in the field of educational technology to the wider industry, rather than keeping them confined to research labs, thereby connecting university-originated research to societal implementation.

This initiative stems from structural challenges within Japan's education industry. In areas like e-learning and learning technologies that support corporate training and human capital management, services originating from overseas currently dominate the market. To revitalize Japan's education industry and foster specialized human resources in educational technology, a framework for industry-academia collaboration, where both academia and industry bring their knowledge and challenges, is indispensable.

The LIGP has functioned as a "bridge between industry and academia," expanding opportunities for encounters between higher education institutions researching innovative learning and educational environments and companies involved in education and human resource development. This 10th iteration of the event continues to serve this role as a platform connecting the challenges of young researchers and students with industry.

Trends in Submitted Research and Judging Criteria

The 13 teams from universities and graduate schools nationwide that advanced to the second round of judging reflected recent trends in educational research:

• Rise of research questioning "how to utilize" generative AI: Over half of the teams used generative AI as a core or major component of their research. Moving beyond simply assigning tasks to AI, themes focused on the quality of learning itself that humans should cultivate in the AI era, such as the ability to direct AI, collaborate with AI, metacognition, and detecting "pretended understanding."

• Diversification of learning support technologies: Technological approaches were diverse, including interpersonal training and collaborative learning using VR/metaverse, transmission of haptic and embodied knowledge, adaptive learning control using brainwaves, learning analytics, and interoperability of educational data (LTI).

• "Skill and sensory inheritance" theme directly linked to industry received the highest evaluation: The Grand Prize-winning research tackled the major challenge facing Japanese industry: how to record and pass on the tacit knowledge of skilled workers to the next generation. Its high potential for corporate adoption as DX for skill inheritance was highly praised.

<Judging> In the second round, nine judges scored each research based on (1) originality and novelty from an industry perspective, and (2) societal value [a. impact on education/learning / b. scale of concept / c. ripple effect upon practical application]. The evaluation criteria emphasized not only technical novelty but also societal implementation and ripple effects on industry.

Award Results [Grand Learning Innovation Award (Ginger Up Award)]

• Transmitting "Engineers' Sensory Knowledge" Across Distances: E-learning by Doing

Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Monozukuri University / Hasegawa & Takeo Lab

[Excellence Learning Innovation Award]

• VR Health Consultation Training System Using Generative AI Child Avatar to Recreate Rapport-Building Process

Sojo University, Seinan Jo Gakuin University, Osaka University of Education, Kyushu University / Rappolitan

• FocuSpeed: Audio Learning Support System with Adaptive Playback Speed Control Based on Brainwaves

The University of Tokyo Graduate School / Amelab M2

[Encouragement Award]

• From Learning by Having AI Create to Learning by Directing AI: Visualization of Creative Intent Formation in Vibecoding and Adaptive Learning Support System

Kansai Gaidai University / Ugaki Lab Vibecoding Team

• Design and Evaluation of LA4U Workshop for Practicing Learner-Centered Learning Analytics

Kyoto University / Evidence-Driven Education Research Council Student SIG Team LA4U

[Special Award: e-Learning EduAI Award]

• Research on an Interactive Learning Support Model Integrating Concept Maps and Rubrics

Graduate School of Chitose Institute of Science and Technology / Komatsukawa Lab Advising System Team

[Special Award: Sycom Frontier Technology Award]

• Transmitting "Engineers' Sensory Knowledge" Across Distances: E-learning by Doing

Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Monozukuri University / Hasegawa & Takeo Lab

Comments from the Executive Committee Chair

"This 10th anniversary event received numerous sharp questions from the younger generation on how to leverage cutting-edge technologies, including generative AI, to enhance the quality of human learning. All of the research presented holds significant potential for practical implementation in society, making it a shame to keep them confined to the lab. I hope this Grand Prix will serve as a bridge connecting academic knowledge with industry, leading to the revitalization of Japan's education industry."

(Taiji Kawaguchi, Executive Committee Chair of the Learning Innovation Grand Prix 2026 / Representative Director of LIC)

Award Ceremony and Winner Presentations Overview

Date and Time

July 14, 2026 (Tue)

14:30 - 16:30 (Reception starts 14:10)

Venue

Tokyo International Forum (3-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) Conference Room "G405" on the 4th floor of the Glass Building

Content

Commemorative lecture, research presentations by award-winning teams, award ceremony

Official Website

https://ligp.gingerapp.co.jp/

Regarding General Participation

The "LIGP2026 Award Ceremony and Winner Presentations" are open to the public.

Those interested can apply via the following website:

https://learning-innovation.jp/info/20260702/

About the Learning Innovation Grand Prix (LIGP)

The LIGP is an industry-academia collaboration grand prix aimed at discovering unprecedented learning and educational methods and styles, as well as innovative learning technologies, and proposing new learning and educational environments. It has been held annually since fiscal year 2016, targeting research labs and teams at higher education institutions (universities, graduate schools, colleges of technology, etc.), and fiscal year 2026 marks its 10th event. It serves as a platform for discovering and nurturing next-generation human resources in educational technology, accepting applications not only from students but also from young researchers (under 40 years old).

Organizers, Co-organizers, and Sponsors

Organizer: Learning Innovation Consortium (LIC)

Co-organizers: The Japan Society of Information and Systems in Education (JSiSE), Designated Non-Profit Corporation Digital Learning Consortium (DLC)

Sponsors: Japan Society for Information and Media Studies in Education, Japan Society for Educational Technology, The Association for Artificial Intelligence, IPSJ SIG-CLE, IEICE SIG-EDUCE, Learning Analytics Society

Cooperation: Ginger Up

Platinum Sponsor: Ginger Up

Gold Sponsors: Academic Path, Digital Knowledge, Tokyo Legal Mind, WARK

Naming Rights Sponsor: e-Learning, MBK Wellness

Inquiries Regarding This Matter

Learning Innovation Consortium Secretariat

Nihonbashi Ofu Bldg. 2F, 13-7 Nihonbashi Odenmacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0011

Contact: Secretariat Director Akiyama

E-mail: office@learning-innovation.jp

Official Websites: https://learning-innovation.jp/ / https://ligp.gingerapp.co.jp/

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