Education and Research Results
Event Record
【Event】SPRING Students Presented Posters at The Future Doctoral Festival 2026
On September 25, 226, our SPRING students presented at the “Future Doctoral Festival 2026” (Hosted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; Co-hosted by the Japan Science and Technology Agency) held at Tokyo International Forum Hall B5 and B7.
One of the most important missions of universities is to support doctoral students in their growth and career development. This event provided a valuable opportunity for diverse stakeholders from academia, industry, and government to deepen their understanding of the expertise and the potential of doctoral students and to share with society the appeal of doctoral students at Sophia University.
This event also provided doctoral students with an opportunity to gain insights into diverse career paths and strengthen connections between academia and society.
We will make use of the insights and networks gained through this event to strengthen the doctoral education and career support, promote collaboration with industry and government, and raise awareness of the value of doctoral students in society.
Voices of SPRING Students from Sophia University Who Participated in the Poster Session
Graduate School of Science and Technology
Doctoral Program, Third-year students
Shohei KAJIWARA
Thank you very much for the opportunity to participate in the Future Doctoral Festival. While I had been aware of the growing social expectations for doctoral students, I had not fully understood the specific abilities expected of them. Through this event, which brought together participants from industry as well as academia, I gained a better understanding of these expectations.
The phrase “the transition to an intellectual society” in the opening remarks was particularly memorable. As social challenges become increasingly diverse and complex, I learned the importance of bringing together expertise from different fields.
In addition, discussions with company representatives made me realize that doctoral students are expected not only to produce research outcomes but also to connect them to social implementation and business applications. This experience strengthened my desire to view my research not only from a technical perspective but also in terms of its practicality and market potential, and ultimately contribute to society through its application.
Graduate School of Science and Technology
Doctoral Program, First-year students
Hinaki SUGIURA
In Japan, few students pursue doctoral studies, and most student participants at academic conferences are master’s students. Therefore, meeting more than 200 doctoral students from universities across the country at this event was both valuable and inspiring. Not only they had advanced expertise, but many had also gained diverse experiences through social activities, research at external institutions, and study abroad.
I was also impressed by the opportunity to discuss not only our research but also our past experiences, future careers, and concerns unique to doctoral students. Through these conversations, I gained new perspectives and ideas that I would not have reached on my own.
I hope to maintain the connections gained through this event and would like to express my sincere gratitude for this valuable opportunity.
