Organizations

The Research Center for Applied Perceptual Science aims to establish a new research area, perceptual science, which transcends the boundaries between disciplines such as humanities, sciences, and arts in order to construct better relationships between humans and environments. The Center provides a place where distinguished researchers with two or more different fields of expertise can gather and swiftly reflect their ideas in research.

While dramatic innovations in technology and information have made our lives seemingly more convenient and comfortable, at the same time, the gap between our environment and the one to which we have biologically adapted to survive has become increasingly large. This distortion is already causing various problems, such as human health risks. To solve these problems, basic research on human biological adaptation has been conducted in the field of Physiological Anthropology for more than 50 years since the establishment of the Kyushu Institute of Design. Based on this basic research, we are engaged in applied research to solve the most pressing problems of modern society.

The Environmental Design Global is established under the School of Design as an Internal Research and Education Centre in January 2017. The hub aims to work with international partners in interdisciplinary research to bring about an innovative breakthrough in the area of environmental design. The hub currently housed 27 researchers of varied expertise such as humanities, social science, design, landscape and architecture.

The SDGs Design Unit was established in April 2018 by the Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, with the aim of contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the field of design. Through a wide range of initiatives—including the SDGs Design International Awards, SDGs Design Workshops, and collaborative projects with companies and local governments—the Unit works with diverse stakeholders to address complex social challenges that transcend disciplinary boundaries. By harnessing the potential of design, it strives to create new value and develop practical solutions for a more sustainable society.

Diversity and inclusion is a way to think about society that respects and embraces the differences between people, including diverse abilities, ethnicities, gender identities, nationalities, religions, sexual orientations, socioeconomic status, and so on. The Design Initiative for Diversity & Inclusion is a leading Japanese research and educational institute in this field. The Initiative crafts and implements systems to develop individual and group potential and to produce new alternative values to economic growth, while providing concrete services to meet diverse needs. The Social Art Lab is now one section of the Design Initiative.

The Center for Design Fundamentals Research was established in April 2022.
Design Fundamentals refer to the accumulation of thoughts that establish design as a discipline through fundamental consideration of what design is, its truth, value (ethics), and aesthetics. To realize this goal, we have established four pillars of research. The first is the practice of stimulating critiques that question design from its roots, the second is the development and practice of basic and common design education, the third is the clarification of design methodology and attempts to systematize it, and the fourth is the promotion of cultural diversity in design. Research Center for Design Fundamentals aims to envision the future of design through these research projects.

The Center for Designed Futures of Kyushu University was established in January 2017 by reorganizing the previous "Kansei Design Center" with the aim of linking design studies with diverse research fields within and outside the university, promoting design studies research, creating new academic research fields, and forming an international design studies research center. Through intra-university collaboration, industry-government-academia collaboration, and domestic and international design collaborations, such as the Association of Design Departments and Schools in Japanese Public Universities, Asia Digital Art Award Fukuoka (ADAA), SDGs Design International Awards, we aim to promote speedy social implementation and actively contribute to the creation of a future society.

Dr. Robert T. Huang, a prominent Kyushu University alumnus who has achieved significant success in the United States, made a substantial donation in December 2012 to commemorate the centennial anniversary of Kyushu University and reorganize and reshape its Venture Business Laboratory. The lab is now the Robert T. Huang Entrepreneurship Center (QREP) and is an education and research center solely dedicated to educating students about entrepreneurship.