Toward a research environment of shared learning and mutual inspiration
Overview
Research outcomes are influenced not only by individual effort; they are also greatly influenced by the environment of the research lab and the way a team works together. At the same time, these conditions are often taken for granted, rather than recognized as something that can be revisited and reshaped. Yet to see them as fixed and unchangeable would be a missed opportunity, especially in a university setting.
Many of the challenges that underpin research activity—how we conduct research, share knowledge, and make decisions—are actually shared across disciplines. Instead of facing these challenges separately, we may find new possibilities for improving the research environment by sharing them across laboratories and fields and thinking about them together.
This multi-session workshop aims to help participants expand their research networks and build collaborative relationships that foster knowledge creation. Using project management methodologies, participants will analyze challenges in their own research projects, exchange insights with peers, and learn practical approaches to advancing their research more effectively through hands-on exercises.
The workshop is designed by members of Copilot Inc., a team with over 20 years of experience in project management support. Their proven project facilitation methods, along with expertise in dialogue and relationship-building, have been tailored specifically for research projects. Based on feedback from last year’s participants, this iteration has been further refined. Please make the most of this opportunity to reflect on how you approach research and the environment around it, in a space where you can explore a variety of ideas.
| 📂 Category | Innitiative |
| 📌 Keywords | Project Management, Reflection, Communication Patterns, Knowledge Creation |
| 🎯 Objectives | ・Develop a habit of using project management tools to reflect on research progress. ・Enhance self-efficacy by iterating through the cycle of identifying challenges, discussing them with peers, and putting them into practice. ・Learn how to influence collaborative dynamics and information flow in research teams, regardless of one’s formal position. |
| 🌐 Language | English & Japanese (discussion group will be formed based on participants’ language preference) |
| 👥 Target Participants | Graduate students |
| 🗓 Format | Three-month continuous session (2-hour in-person x 6) |
| ✅ Past & Upcoming Sessions | #1; Monday, May 18, 2026, 18:00-20:00 #2; Monday, June 1, 2026, 18:00-20:00 #3; Monday, June 15, 2026, 18:00-20:00 #4; Monday, June 29, 2026, 18:00-20:00 #5; Monday, July 13, 2026, 18:00-20:00 Held annually since 2024 as “Project Reflection”, “Leadership for Collaborative Research Environment”. |
| 📍 Venue | S6-309A, Ookayama Campus |
| 🌟 Recommended for | ・Those interested in building structured processes to manage their research effectively. ・Those who want to enhance research collaboration and foster new discoveries through teamwork. ・Those looking for insights to improve research lab culture and group dynamics. |
| 📊 Points | 10 points in total (Points to be awarded to students enrolled in the courses for credits. Please refer to the syllabus for details.) |
| 🎟️ Capacity | 12 participants |
Main Content
Throughout five sessions, participants will reconceptualize their exploratory research as a structured project, developing a sense of ownership and direction. Additionally, they will critically examine research lab environments and existing norms, seeking concrete methods to foster a more collaborative research culture.
In each session, participants will explore solutions to challenges in their own projects, as well as practical approaches for making a positive impact on their labs or teams. Even without being in a formal leadership role, they will learn in a hands-on way how small everyday actions can bring about meaningful change in those around them.
By participating continuously, participants will share and discuss challenges with fellow students, implement changes, observe their effects, share findings, and refine their strategies through an iterative learning cycle. This process enhances self-efficacy, demonstrating how even small adjustments can shape both individual and collective research experiences.
Facilitators
Copilot Inc.
Copilot Inc. was founded in 2005 with the vision of serving as a “copilot” for various teams and projects, supporting digital transformation, new business development, and project facilitation. They aim to work alongside project teams to create effective and adaptable project structures that ensure smooth execution and collaboration.
Message from the Facilitators
Shotaro Yagi
The idea that practice shapes people and society may be an overlooked perspective in research, which is often pursued in solitude. However, practice becomes more robust within relationships and interactions. Relationships may seem like a small factor, but they can have a profound impact.
This workshop itself serves as a unique relational space—a place where exclusive dialogues, insights, and practical experiences can emerge.
Kana Hasebe
This workshop is built on the idea that research outcomes are not achieved through individual effort alone—and the same applies to the workplace. In a company, almost no work can be done entirely alone. Progress is made by collaborating with others, leveraging each person’s expertise to move forward. In that sense, what this course seeks to cultivate through practice is a lifelong skill—something that will be valuable wherever you go. We hope you will take this opportunity to learn through reflecting on and engaging with your own research practice.
Past Event Records
Voices from Participants
- I came to feel that the underlying issues behind the outcomes of our actions are not all that different from person to person, and that I am not the only one struggling with them.
- By sharing our frictions, I realized that others were facing the same problems I was, and at the same time I was able to learn about possible solutions from them.
- It is rare to have the chance to explain my research in depth to someone from a completely different field, and the experience prompted me to reconsider what aspects to highlight and why I find it meaningful to work on this topic.
- I learnt that research is not supposed to be entirely done by yourself. A meaningful research is supposed to involve people with different ideas and expertise, but share the same goal.
- It’s nice to have an active document to refer back to. It makes it so much easier to design the project and stick to the timeline.
- This workshop is like a therapy session for me, where I am free to open up about my ideas and feelings.
- Good to figure out what I want to contribute to society
- Whenever I joined this workshop, it reignited my motivation to keep moving forward, especially on days when I felt stuck or unsure about the path I had chosen.
Event Report
Contact Faculty
Yuri Matsuzaki, Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Academy for Leadership
📩 matsuzaki.y.77a9 [at] m.isct.ac.jp
