Recently, the importance of partnerships between universities and local communities has been increasing. In fact, some universities have done studies to help and develop local communities. URBAN×ICT workshop #03 aimed to think about the meaning universities have in their communities and the role universities play in those communities. This workshop involved a lecture by Dr. Uchihira and a discussion.

Firstly, Dr. Uchihira introduced some activities that were conducted in local communities by students, which were supported by the Eco Human Center, University of Hyogo. He explained the positive impact these activities have had on these communities. Then he highlighted one of the student activities that entered and won an ENACTUS (formerly known as Students in Free Enterprise) Japan contest. The story demonstrated the importance of‘thinking globally and acting locally.’ After the lecture by Dr. Uchihira, the students made some comments and asked some questions about his lecture on Post-it notes. The facilitators checked them and led a discussion between Dr. Uchihira and the students about the current state of community development in Japan and the impact of community involvement on both students and the community.