Event Report: “DOIC Real Forum at the Osaka-Kansai Expo Theme Week”

On September 20, 2025, the “DOIC Real Forum at the Osaka-Kansai Expo Theme Week” was held at the EXPO 2025 venue in Osaka, Japan.

DOIC (Digital Open Innovation Campus) is a global initiative launched in conjunction with EXPO 2025, aiming to build an innovation ecosystem through collaboration among academia, industry, and government, utilizing the metaverse. More than 40 institutions from Japan and abroad are participating in this project.

This forum was held in support of the EXPO 2025 Theme Week program “The Future of the Planet and Biodiversity.” It provided a platform to discuss the role of academia in addressing global challenges, while also fostering dialogue and collaboration among DOIC participants and representatives from Saudi Arabia, the next EXPO host country.

As the venue was located within the EXPO site, general admission required an EXPO ticket, and entry restrictions were in place on the day of the event, making it a semi-closed format. Nevertheless, many participants—including those from supporting members of Science Tokyo “Ecosystem building project for Open Innovation”—gathered and engaged in active networking.

Event Overview

Program

• Opening Remarks
• Part I: “The Role of Academia in Preserving the Future of the Planet and Biodiversity”ーKeynote Speech & Panel Discussion
• Part II: “DOIC: Past, Present, and Future” / “Toward the Saudi Arabia EXPO”ーInterviews & Dialogues
• Closing Remarks

Forum Highlights

The forum was structured in two parts. It began with opening remarks by Vice President Dr. Ōshima of Tokyo University of Science, who explained the purpose and significance of the event.

In Part I, Dr. Kazuya Masu, Director of the Global Research Center for Quantum and AI-Integrated Technologies (G-QuAT) at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, delivered a keynote speech. He emphasized that biodiversity is essential for planetary stability and that talent diversity is key to supporting social flexibility and creativity. He further noted that we live in an “agile and dynamic” era where basic research, applied technology, and social implementation progress simultaneously. He highlighted the importance of nurturing diverse talent and pointed out challenges facing academia, such as low mobility of researchers and the structure of graduate education.

Following the keynote, a panel discussion was held, moderated by Dr. Ōshima. Panelists included Dr. Kazuya Masu, Dr. Kazuhiro Shiozaki (President of NAIST), Dr. Yasunori Mitani (President of Kyushu Institute of Technology), and Dr. Masato Yanai (President of University of Kitakyushu). Each shared insights into their institutions’ unique approaches, and the discussion focused on the importance of talent development and diversity.

Part II featured an overview of DOIC by Mr. Takashi Kobayashi, Representative of DOIC Steering Secretariates (Bukashihon Soken). This was followed by presentations from DOIC member universities (Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka University, Kyoto University) and EXPO supporters, who shared past activities and future aspirations. Additionally, representatives from Saudi Arabia—the next EXPO host country—introduced their initiatives and vision for EXPO 2030.

This forum served as a valuable opportunity to reaffirm academia’s role in shaping the future of our planet and preserving biodiversity, while also expanding the potential for collaboration globally through DOIC. Moving forward, we will accelerate our efforts toward realizing a sustainable future through cross-sector collaboration that transcends the boundaries between industry, academia, and government.