Report on the Kickoff Meeting for the FY2026 Student-led Field Research Programme

On May 14, the kick-off meeting for the FY2026 Student-led Field Research Programme, conducted under GPAI associated project “Student Communities”, at the Tokyo Centre of the GPAI Expert Community, was held online.

Overview of the Student Communities Project
https://www2.nict.go.jp/gpai-tokyo-esc/student_cp/en/

The project was launched since FY2025 across 3 centres in Tokyo, Paris, and Montreal, with each centre developing activities that reflect its unique characteristics. In FY2026, the project aims to further enhance students’ sense of initiative and practical skills, while promoting exchanges and collaborative activities with overseas student communities to foster an international network among students.

The following faculty members attended the kick-off meeting, along with participating students:
Associate Professor EMA Arisa (Tokyo College, The University of Tokyo)
Professor FUJIMOTO Masayo (Faculty of Social Studies, Doshisha University)
Professor KATSUNO Hirofumi (Faculty of Social Studies, Doshisha University)
Professor NAKANO Masafumi (Faculty of Information Sciences and Arts, Toyo University)
Professor KONISHI Yoko (Institute of Systems and Information Engineering, University of Tsukuba)
Professor MIYAZAKI Kousei (Faculty of Contemporary Economic Studies, University of Hyogo)

Following the opening remarks by Mr. HISHIDA Mitsuhiro, Deputy Director General of the Tokyo Centre of the GPAI Expert Community, Dr. HARAYAMA Yuko, Secretary General of the Tokyo Centre of the GPAI Expert Community, provided an overview of GPAI, and the role of the project, as well as its future direction. This was followed by self-introductions and updates on ongoing activities from each faculty member, along with discussions on the project schedule and future plans.

Looking ahead, participating students will begin visiting and interviewing companies and organizations. In September, an in-person gathering will be held, providing an opportunity for participants to share progress of their investigation, exchange ideas, and learn from one another. Following this, in January next year, each individual research report will be published on the Tokyo Centre’s website. In March, the Activity Reporting Meeting is scheduled to present the year’s activities and disseminate the project’s outcomes more widely.