In an Era of Change, Let's Consider Solutions for Working People's Issues Together - University of Tsukuba's Research and Development Center for Psychological Support for Working Persons to Hold a University-Corporation Co-Creation Forum

The Research and Development Center for Psychological Support for Working Persons at the University of Tsukuba, a hub for industry-academia-government collaboration, is entering its 8th year. To share the achievements in supporting 'working people' cultivated through co-creation with companies and various organizations via research and academic guidance, and to explore future possibilities together, the center will hold a one-day, in-person forum titled 'University-Corporation Co-Creation Forum for Supporting Working People - A New Form of Psychological Support Connecting Practice, Research, and Human Resource Development.'

Throughout the day, attendees can experience the 'current state of university-corporation co-creation' through a keynote speech by Professor Emeritus Mitsuyo Hanada of Keio University, a pioneer in university-corporation co-creation, a special lecture on a co-creation case study by a corporation, case presentations by each unit, and research poster presentations.

The Research and Development Center for Psychological Support for Working Persons at the University of Tsukuba (Location: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; Director: Masatake Okada) will host this one-day in-person event for the first time on Saturday, July 4, 2026, at the University of Tsukuba's Tokyo Campus. The center is a research hub that addresses the issues of 'working people' with psychological support through industry-academia-government collaboration, based on over 30 years of accumulated research in counseling and psychology. Marking its 8th year since its establishment in 2018, the center has created this opportunity to share its activities, primarily case studies accumulated through joint research and academic guidance with companies, with the wider society over the course of a day.

The day will feature a keynote speech by Mr. Mitsuyo Hanada (Professor Emeritus, Keio University), a special lecture on an actual co-creation project, case presentations of initiatives with companies by each unit, and research poster presentations by the center's researchers and graduates of the working adult graduate school. The event is open to anyone interested in the issues of working people, including corporate HR, talent development, and career support staff, as well as those in management. The structure is designed to provide a multi-dimensional understanding of 'what it means to solve working people's issues in collaboration with a university' from theoretical, practical, and on-the-ground perspectives.

In this era of rapid change, the center has valued an approach of understanding the essence of 'what it means for people to work' based on academic evidence, considering on-site corporate issues together, and finding clues to solutions through a research-based approach. This forum was planned as a venue to address the feedback from companies—'we want to work with a university, but don't know what's possible'—and to convey the current state of 'university-corporation co-creation' in psychological support from both theoretical and practical aspects.

The four highlights of this forum are: 1. Keynote speech by Mr. Mitsuyo Hanada, 2. Special lecture on a collaborative case study by Hitachi, Ltd., 3. Introduction of joint research and support cases by each unit, and 4. Poster presentations by researchers and graduates of the working adult graduate school. A consultation session for joint research and academic guidance will also be held (pre-registration required).

Event Overview
Name: University-Corporation Co-Creation Forum for Supporting Working People
Date: Saturday, July 4, 2026, 10:00-17:00
Venue: University of Tsukuba, Tokyo Campus (Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo)
Format: In-person
Fee: Free
Capacity: 200 (first-come, first-served)
Target Audience: Corporate HR staff, researchers, and others interested
Organizer: Research and Development Center for Psychological Support for Working Persons, University of Tsukuba
Registration: Please apply via Peatix (Deadline: June 30, 2026)

The planned program includes an introduction of the center's activities by Director Masatake Okada and a keynote speech by Mr. Mitsuyo Hanada in the morning, followed by a special lecture by Hitachi, Ltd. and presentations of each unit's activities in the afternoon. Keynote speaker Mr. Mitsuyo Hanada will discuss the development of 'diverse' programs through university-corporation co-creation, and Director Masatake Okada will introduce the center's establishment history and the outcomes of its industry-academia collaboration.

This forum is especially recommended for those who want to reconsider HR policies from a medium- to long-term perspective, those who want to face the 'people' behind the numbers, and those interested in collaborating with universities.