How Industry-University Cooperation Works to Enable Collaborative Education:

Case Study of an Information Technology Undergraduate Program

Abstract

Since the 2000s, higher education programs involving industry-university cooperation (IUC) have become much more widespread in Japanese universities. This study discusses how IUC works to enable collaborative education among businesspeople, faculty members, and undergraduate students.

We discuss a program on information technology development through collaborative management, which is a case of IUC at Keio University. In this program, students engage in software development projects with businesspeople. Businesspeople engage in the program in various different ways such as program managers, clients, and external evaluators. Students learn not only management and communication skills but also how to effectively apply what they learn in classrooms. Program managers learn how to manage development projects. Mutual benefit is the key to sustainable IUC. Keio’s program represent a case where a productive collaboration between university and industry is effectively created.