Kyoto University of Art and Design and Nippon Steel Launch Practical Education Project: Students to Communicate the Appeal of "Steel" Through "Short Videos"

Kyoto University of Art and Design (KUA, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City / President: Taku Sato), Department of Information Design (full-time program), and Nippon Steel Corporation (Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo / President and COO: Masashi Imai, hereinafter "Nippon Steel") have launched a collaborative industry-academia project to produce "short videos" that convey the appeal of steel from a student's perspective (hereinafter, "this project"), starting on June 11, 2026.

This project aims to communicate the appeal of "steel," an indispensable material for human life, to younger generations. Students, who learn to solve social issues through the power of design, will spend approximately 50 days (7 weeks) creating short videos, which have become mainstream in digital entertainment in recent years, and project proposals to express the charm of steel.

Works selected after a presentation to Nippon Steel employees, held on the final day of the class, are scheduled to be published on the websites of both companies. This project is positioned as an advanced model for "human resource development that leads growth fields (digital, etc.)" promoted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Through this project, we aim to provide learning opportunities that connect the power of design with society and industry by having students face corporate communication challenges and practice everything from planning and production to proposal.

Scenes from the orientation held on June 11 and a lecture by Nippon Steel employees.

Project Overview

The Department of Information Design at Kyoto University of Art and Design cultivates human resources who can be active in a wide range of fields by acquiring "design" and "design thinking" skills that are relevant to all areas of society.

This project is one of the practical education models required in the digital age, which alternates between "creation" and "social implementation" in the field of culture and arts, and is implemented as a "Transdisciplinary Program" undertaken by the entire Department of Information Design at Kyoto University of Art and Design. Eighteen second and third-year students, selected from applicants from all four courses within the department (Visual Design, Illustration, Game Creation, and Video Creation), will produce short videos of up to 2 minutes and project proposals over seven weeks. A presentation to Nippon Steel employees will be held during the final class on July 24, 2026 (Thu).

Details of the Department of Information Design at our university can be found here: https://www.kyoto-art.ac.jp/production/?cat=10&author=5

About Nippon Steel Corporation

Nippon Steel is Japan's largest and one of the world's leading steel manufacturers, with manufacturing bases in Japan and over 15 countries worldwide. The Nippon Steel Group promotes four business areas centered on its steelmaking business: engineering, chemicals & materials, and system solutions. By further strengthening the earnings base of its domestic business and executing its global growth strategy in overseas business, it aims to become the "world's No. 1 steelmaker in overall strength," pursuing the world's best technology and manufacturing capabilities, and contributing to the development of society through the provision of excellent products and services.

About Kyoto University of Art and Design (KUA)

Kyoto University of Art and Design is one of Japan's largest comprehensive art universities, with approximately 24,000 students enrolled in both its full-time and correspondence programs. It will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2027. In its full-time program (10 departments, 24 courses in the Faculty of Art), it emphasizes the relationship between "society and art" and undertakes over 100 "social implementation projects" annually in collaboration with companies and local governments. It provides practical education that addresses real-world social issues through the power of art and design. The correspondence program (5 departments, 19 courses) was established in 1998 as Japan's first four-year art university correspondence program. It attracts diverse students from across Japan and overseas, making it one of the largest art universities by enrollment among private correspondence universities in Japan. It offers an environment where people of all ages and experiences can study art.

Location: 2-116 Kitashirakawa Uryuyama-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture 606-8271 URL: https://www.kyoto-art.ac.jp/

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