On February 3, Okayama University signed an agreement called “Okayama Future Co-creation Alliance” with Chugoku Bank Ltd. to work together towards regional revitalization and the achievement of the SDGs through the mutual exchange of knowledge and information.

Okayama University and Chugoku Bank Ltd. originally signed a comprehensive partnership agreement in March 2005 to strengthen industry-academia cooperation and to contribute to industrial promotion and the development of start-up companies. Now, in reaction to the COVID-19, both Okayama University and Chugoku Bank have considered how to move forward together with regional companies to solve various social issues. An agreement was drawn up that takes advantage of Okayama University’s research into AI, IoT and security in order to promote Digital Transformation (DX) in the community. However, the purpose of this new agreement is not only to renew the original contract and to continue contributing to regional development, but also to allow for an innovative framework that places emphasis on the achievement of the SDGs in reaction to the many environmental changes that have taken place in the last 15 years. Since the agreement prioritizes sustainable development with the goal of contributing to regional revitalization, it has been aptly named the “Okayama Future Co-creation Alliance”.

This agreement will facilitate regional revitalization and industrial promotion by utilizing research results gathered from local industries to encourage the development of social innovation and start-up ventures and will meet the need for accelerated corporate DX in a “with corona/post-corona” age by taking advantage of the university’s newly established Engineering Department. Additionally, based on this agreement, Okayama University will support the development of highly trained personal through the implementation of a comprehensive educational strategy called “recurrent education” and will contribute to the well-being of the community through the medical services offered at Okayama University Hospital.

In addition, these projects will be closely linked with the efforts of the Cabinet Office National University Innovation Creation Project to establish a creative environment that promotes innovation at national universities, which was adopted by the university in October last year, well as the efforts of the Okayama Prefectural Collaborative Research Center for Companies and Universities, established in 2019.

Okayama University President MAKINO Hirofumi and Chugoku Bank President KATO Sadanori were present at the signing ceremony. President Makino said that, “I hope that the comprehensive framework of this agreement between a national university and a regional bank will become a new model for development.” President commented that, “I hope that, through this renewed alliance with Okayama University, we will be able to increase the number of partners we have contributing to regional revitalization”. Finally, commenting on the alliance, Governor of Okayama Prefecture IBARAGI Ryuta sent in a message saying, “I have great expectations that this agreement, along with the efforts of the Okayama Prefectural Collaborative Research Center for Companies and Universities, will accelerate regional DX, promote industrial growth, lead to increased settlement of young people in the region, and promote regional development.”