2025.05.21

Osaka University of Tourism Selected for National Project to Revitalize Communities along Local Rail Lines

Osaka University of Tourism has been selected as a partner university for the model demonstration project of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ FY2024 “Regional Problem-Solving Project through University-Community Collaboration (Furusato Mirai College).”

This initiative aims to encourage young people to take an interest and actively engage in regional communities by promoting collaboration between universities and local areas to solve regional issues, thereby fostering the next generation of local leaders. The selected project, titled “Problem-Solving Project for Communities along Local Railway Lines,” was proposed by Wakayama Prefecture, with whom we have a comprehensive partnership agreement.

Kishigawa Line – Tama Train

Our university will implement this project in cooperation with Wakayama City, coordinated by Nagomi Co., Ltd. The project will utilize local resources to reach people interested in dual-location living. Incorporating perspectives such as the Albergo Diffuso concept and agritourism, we aim to connect these ideas to renovation projects such as the revitalization of vacant houses. Through this, we will work to establish a sustainable framework that enables participating students to remain continuously involved in the local community.

In addition, this program will be carried out alongside other initiatives led by universities including Wakayama University in collaboration with Arida City, Osaka Metropolitan University, Hagoromo University of International Studies with Yuasa Town, and Yokohama National University with Tanabe City—each contributing to the vitality of their students to regional revitalization.

Translated and edited by: Zili XUE