On September 6, a preliminary opening was held for Grand Green Osaka, the second phase of the Umeda North redevelopment project on the north side of JR Osaka Station. As part of this project, the Ritsumeikan Trust opened the Ritsumeikan Osaka-umekita Open innovation Terrace (ROOT) inside Jam Base in the north building of Grand Green Osaka. On the day of the opening, about 60 students, faculty, staff, and company representatives gathered to discuss the exchange of a diverse array of human resources and the potential for industry-academia collaboration.

Diverse encounters and co-creation at Umekita, Osaka's newest innovation space

ROOT was established as an island of innovation that will connect the university with society and to serve as a place to propose to the world new forms of open innovation that can only be achieved by an educational institution. Visitors to ROOT will cross paths and resonate with each other and, in turn, grow together. Ritsumeikan will work with everyone to develop and implement the necessary initiatives to achieve this goal.

ROOT website

A variety of events and programs starting with the Opening Party

At the Opening Party held on the first day, two World Cafe talk sessions were held in which students, company representatives, faculty, and staff exchanged views in a casual atmosphere. Led by a moderator, the participants held discussions on the following two topics: (i) what companies expect from universities/students and the ideal image of company-university collaboration and (ii) things you would like to do or could achieve if you had access to a student brain trust. After the World Cafe, a white board talk session was held in which the participants exchanged opinions on what they expect from co-creation with universities.