午夜剧场

Entering the central corridor, the "Passage of Knowledge," from the entrance, natural light streams in through the vaulted glass ceiling. On the benches around the octagonal pyramid on the second floor, mothers who appear to be returning from daycare chat with strollers parked beside them, while children run around laughing. In a classroom on the third floor, a discussion is underway in English regarding the social implementation of cybernetic avatar technology.

The Kyoseikan Collaboration Complex was constructed in 2008 along Tsunashima-kaido on the west side of Hiyoshi Campus as part of the project to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Juku. Based on the project's basic concept of "An open-minded and dynamic university with the two focuses of 'Independence' and 'Collaboration'," it was named "Kyoseikan" as a place for new challenges to develop activities rooted in the local community and widely open to society.

In addition to the Graduate School of System Design and Management and the Graduate School of Media Design (KMD), which were established in 2008 and celebrate their 15th anniversary this year, the Graduate School of Business Administration (including the Business School) also relocated from Hiyoshi-honcho, establishing its base on the 3rd to 6th floors of the Kyoseikan Collaboration Complex. All three graduate schools are independent graduate schools without undergraduate faculties, with a high ratio of working professionals and international students. Education and research are conducted there to create technologies and systems that impact society and create the future. To foster human resources who can lead society and be active both locally and globally, collaborative projects between laboratories within the graduate schools, local communities, and companies are also actively conducted.

Tenants such as a nursery school, clinic, sports facilities, and restaurants were also attracted to the Kyoseikan Collaboration Complex. Although there have been changes since then, 10 tenants currently occupy the building. In addition, multi-purpose classrooms and the Fujiwara Hiroshi Hall, which can accommodate 500 people, are available for rent for external social activities. During the 2021 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, the British national team stayed at the research accommodation facilities on the 7th floor and used various athletic facilities throughout Hiyoshi Campus, including the pool inside the Kyoseikan Collaboration Complex, for their pre-games camp. Furthermore, taking advantage of its prime location in front of Hiyoshi Station, a Yokohama City COVID-19 mass vaccination site was also established there.

At the time of completion, the word "Kyosei" (collaboration/coexistence) was unfamiliar, but with the establishment of the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion within the university in April 2018, the term has become established along with the concept of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Looking at the minutes of the monthly Kyoseikan Collaboration Complex Management Liaison Committee, it is clear that they pay attention not only to security and equipment issues but also to the sales status of each tenant. Creating an environment that maintains DEI requires constant effort and detailed follow-up. Now, the English name for Kyoseikan is The Collaboration Complex. I look forward to seeing what kind of initiatives will emerge from the Kyoseikan Collaboration Complex, which is filled with various meanings and expectations.

(Tamika Suzuki, Manager of the Graduate School Section, Hiyoshi Office of Student Services)