Hitachi Consulting and University of Tsukuba Launch Joint Development of Gaming Tool to Promote Understanding of Diversity

Hitachi Consulting Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Yozo Ito; hereinafter, Hitachi Consulting) and the National University Corporation University of Tsukuba (President: Kyosuke Nagata; hereinafter, University of Tsukuba) have commenced a joint research project titled "Joint Development of a Gaming Tool for Promoting Understanding of Diversity to Be Used in Lectures, etc." starting April 2026.

Leveraging Hitachi Consulting's development expertise in its proprietary game-based DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) educational content, the DEI game "Karimono Megane®" (Someone's Glasses®), and the specialized knowledge in the medical and healthcare fields held by the University of Tsukuba, they will jointly develop a gaming tool intended for use in lectures and training sessions, in collaboration with Professor Ryota Ochiai and his colleagues from the College of Nursing, School of Medicine.

This joint research follows up on the previous collaborative research conducted with Professor Ochiai and his team, titled "The Impact of Lectures Using Gaming Tools on Students' Learning Effectiveness." In the first phase of the joint research, an exercise using "Karimono Megane®" was conducted with 200 students from the University of Tsukuba. Analysis of questionnaires administered before and after the exercise revealed a significant increase in students' tolerance for diversity and challenges. This indicated that education utilizing gaming tools contributed to improving university students' understanding of diversity.

Students who participated in the exercise provided feedback such as, "By listening to others' opinions, I was able to highlight the biases and problems in my own views," and "I want to use this as an opportunity to reconsider how I approach diverse values." It was suggested that by examining cases from the perspective of those involved through the gaming tool, and by encountering opinions different from their own through group discussions, participants were prompted to recognize the diversity of values, potentially leading to increased tolerance.

The results of the first phase of joint research were presented at the Annual Meeting of the Japanese Academy of Nursing Science in December 2025.

In the newly launched joint research, a gaming tool will first be developed for use in lectures and training sessions in the medical and healthcare fields. The developed gaming tool will be utilized in lectures for students in the College of Nursing, and its effectiveness will be verified. Furthermore, the aim is to make the gaming tool developed and evaluated through this research available for use at other universities.

Joint Research Content

1. Jointly develop a gaming tool (card game) intended for use in lectures and training sessions by incorporating the specialized knowledge in the medical and healthcare fields provided by the University of Tsukuba into the development know-how of "Karimono Megane®" provided by Hitachi Consulting. 2. Use the developed gaming tool (card game) in lectures at the University of Tsukuba and verify its learning effectiveness. 3. Consider a deployment plan for the developed gaming tool (card game) for use at other universities.

About the DEI Game "Karimono Megane®"

This is an educational content in the form of a card game that focuses on "awareness" of unconscious bias.

It is an educational content in a card game format where participants draw cards and repeatedly engage in role-playing, taking on the positions of the involved parties and those around them in various situations and scenarios that question DEI awareness, followed by discussions on related themes. Through the game, participants learn about the existence of diverse individuals who may be around them and imagine the circumstances and challenges faced by those involved when confronted with actual troubles. Furthermore, under the guidance of a facilitator, participants deepen their learning by reviewing and sharing their own experiences and engaging in discussions with each other. If someone responds with consideration during the game, or provides new insights or perspectives that spark awareness, participants can give each other coins, one of the tools, to praise each other.

The DEI game "Karimono Megane®" allows participants to vicariously experience the real circumstances and challenges faced by individuals who are often forced to make difficult choices even in seemingly ordinary everyday situations. Through this experience and dialogue among participants, awareness that leads to changes in awareness and behavior in reality is fostered.

DEI Game "Karimono Megane®" * "Karimono Megane®" and "Someone's Glasses®" are registered trademarks of Hitachi Consulting Co., Ltd.

About Hitachi Consulting

Hitachi Consulting is engaged in awareness-raising activities in the well-being domain, aiming for a society where everyone can live and thrive as themselves, including undertaking research commissioned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in FY2020 on femtech and conducting joint research on gender innovation with Ochanomizu University. As a consulting firm within the Hitachi Group that promotes social innovation business, we will continue to contribute to the realization of a sustainable society.

Related Links

Hitachi Consulting and University of Tsukuba Launch Joint Research on "Diversity and Tolerance for Challenges"

- Conducting Lectures Utilizing the Game-Based DEI Educational Content "Karimono Megane®" -

https://www.hitachiconsulting.co.jp/news/2025/250613.html