Dialogues with society

Since its founding, Kyoto University has furthered dialogue-centered educational and research activities while consistently engaging with society at large.

Started in 2011, “Academic Day” is an annual event where over 100 researchers gather for casual conversations with members of the public. In 2023, the event was held off campus for the first time, attracting nearly 900 visitors. In one popular part of the event, researchers and visitors sit on tatami mats surrounding low chabudai tables, where they can discuss research topics on a friendly basis.

“Kyoto University Weeks” feature open houses at numerous research institutes and facilities around the country, from a forest in Hokkaido to a volcanic observatory in Kagoshima. Every year, visitors can enjoy the likes of observatory tours and nature observation workshops in research forests.

The university also conducts dialogue-based high school collaboration programs. These include “ELCAS,” an experiential science course led by KyotoU researchers (started in 2008), and the “Learning Coordinator Project” (launched in 2013), where graduate students present research to high schoolers.

The university has also worked to utilize its intellectual resources through video. “KyotoU Channel,” launched in 2023, is a website that allows users to cross-search Kyoto University’s archive. It features more than 4,000, including lecture recordings from the university’s OpenCourseWare (OCW) holdings, and continues to add interactive content.