Faculty Concept

Background Story, Founding Committee Chairman's Message, Values Pamphlet

Background story

The wave of digital transformation (DX) has not reached rural areas.

Many aspects of daily life in this region are still analog.

In regions where primary industries are dominant, particularly in rural areas and fishing villages, only a very small number of people benefit from digital transformation (DX).

DX talent is coming to urban areas and the greater Tokyo metropolitan area.

Many people with expertise in digital technology have moved to companies in the Tokyo metropolitan area, such as software development companies, startups, and the system departments of large corporations, resulting in a continued shortage of digitally savvy personnel in regional areas.

Regional issues that can be solved digitally

Latest technology solves labor shortage

By combining IoT, drone technology, and MA (machine automation), it becomes possible to improve productivity in primary industries facing an aging workforce.

Adding value to regional cities is also possible.

Furthermore, by implementing evolving digital technologies for entertainment in regional cities, it is possible to create new tourism resources.

Next-generation talent capable of identifying and proposing solutions to problems.

For those who create without waiting for instructions or assignments.

Japan is often described as a country with a large number of people who are not good at identifying and raising issues on their own, even among developed nations. Therefore, developing individuals who can observe situations, grasp challenges, and act autonomously is considered crucial.

Highly skilled personnel to hack regional challenges

We believe there is a need to cultivate highly skilled individuals who can proactively solve (hack) domestic regional issues using digital technology, and this led to the establishment of this new faculty and department.

Chairman's Message

Norihiro Nakamura

Professor (Director) of the Office for Higher Education Development, Tohoku Gakuin University; Doctor of Science
Specialization: Geomagnetism and Disaster Science
Graduated from the Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Shizuoka University
Completed Master's and Doctoral Programs in Earth Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University (Specialization: Earth and Planetary Electromagnetism / Disaster Science)
After serving as a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Overseas Research Fellow at Lakehead University in Canada and as Director of the Interdisciplinary Education Promotion Center at Tohoku University's Institute for Advanced Liberal Arts Education and Student Support, he assumed his current position in 2023 and became Chairperson of the Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of a New Faculty in Science and Engineering in April 2025.

We are now in an era where we can digitally hack local inefficiencies.

Compared to when I was a student, technology has advanced at a dizzying pace, and the more I research examples, the more I am amazed by things like, "I can't believe we can do that now."
There are still many issues in the region that seem irrational.
I believe that by learning about advanced technologies and acquiring the skills to utilize them, while simultaneously discussing possible approaches to address local challenges, we can increasingly "hack" local issues.

I want to increase the number of people who can say, "I can do that."

From aging infrastructure to dealing with bear damage and improving social security, the challenges facing local communities are endless.
The more you learn about digital technology, the more you can find solutions to problems that were previously considered insurmountable.
By combining digital implementation capabilities with social implementation capabilities, we believe you can become a beacon of hope, breaking through stagnant situations and suggesting, "Perhaps we can solve that problem."

You'll find what you want to do.
I can go anywhere

The future of society will be increasingly driven by technology. In this context, individuals who can actively engage with and utilize advanced technologies, and who can think about how to solve problems digitally, will have virtually "a wide range of choices" in the fields in which they want to work.
Even if you don't have a clear image of what kind of future you want to create, we hope that by coming to this faculty, you can spend four years building a foundation that will allow you to succeed anywhere, while encountering various challenges and discovering what you truly want to do.

Values that we cherish

Fail Fast, Fail Super

Make lots of mistakes quickly and skillfully
Learn from Others

Learning not only from instructors but also from peers and colleagues.
Outcome First

Prioritizing results over output.

What our faculty values
These are three values.

Fail Fast, Fail Super

Make lots of mistakes quickly and skillfully

Failure is an inevitable part of any challenge. And there is no progress if you avoid failure. At the Department of Digital Design in the Faculty of Future Science, we welcome challenges and failures. There is much to be learned from failure, and we want you to encounter as many "unsuccessful methods" as possible and work hard before you enter the workforce.

Learn from Others

Learning not only from instructors but also from peers and colleagues.

As you tackle various regional issues and work hard to solve them, you will learn a great deal not only from your instructors but also from your fellow participants working on the same challenges. You might even learn from the people in the regions you interview. Consider everyone involved as your mentor.

Outcome First

Prioritizing results over output.

The more we learn about technologies like VR, IoT, and AI, the more we fall into an output-oriented mindset of "if we make it, we'll solve it." The purpose of buying paint isn't "to get paint," but "to paint a picture." Similarly, we focus on the results beyond the system we create. Why not paint your own future?