This year marks the fourth anniversary of the Open Research Forum (ORF) being held on Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC). Back in 2020, we decided to return the venue to its roots from its then-location at Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi. At the time, many felt that ORF, our premier research enterprise, was best showcased in the vibrant, high-profile setting of central Tokyo. However, holding the event at SFC enables visitors to experience not only our interdisciplinary research and development firsthand, but also take in our expansive campus rich in natural beauty.

Guided by this vision, we have come together to create a dynamic on-campus experience for visitors through a variety of initiatives. Self-driving buses began operating on campus, drones took flight, and some research labs were completely transformed into immersive exhibition spaces on the event days. All these offered invaluable experiences that could not be fully captured through the coverage of the event, though the media did help connect us with those beyond the campus—the event was once broadcast live on the radio through the efforts of student volunteers.

In the past two years, ORF has become a key component of the SFC Expo, a two-day event packed with activities including SFC Open Day for high school students, the Fujisawa City Public Lecture, and presentations from the annual meeting of the SFC Academic Society (Keio SAS). Now ORF offers visitors a comprehensive overview of SFC, showcasing not only our outstanding research but also what the broader campus community has to offer.

Building on last year’s theme, “The Landscape of SFC,” this year’s ORF will be “Picnic on the Landscape.” Over the 35 years of SFC’s history, a diverse range of research has taken root, intertwined, and borne fruit in the campus’s rich natural environment. We invite you to enjoy this academic landscape in the spirit of a picnic—strolling through the grounds, enjoying exhibitions, sessions, and tours that can only fully be experienced here in person.