This year marks the fifth 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 not only experience 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 operated across campus, drones took flight, and some research labs were completely transformed into immersive exhibition spaces during the event. All these initiatives provided unrivaled, firsthand experiences that could not be fully replicated online or on TV.

In the past three 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 Open Lecture, and presentations from the annual meeting of the SFC Academic Society (Keio SAS). Today, ORF offers visitors a comprehensive look at SFC, showcasing not only our outstanding research but also what the broader campus community has to offer.

Building on last year’s “Picnic on the Landscape” theme, this year’s ORF advances to “Hiking on the Landscape.” Over the 36 years of SFC’s history, a diverse range of research has taken root and flourished in the campus’s rich natural environment. We invite you to explore this academic landscape—hiking through the grounds, enjoying exhibitions, sessions, and tours that can only be truly experienced in person.