On Saturday, September 20, 2025, Kyushu University’s Integrated Initiative for Designing Future Society (In2FS) hosted “Science Agora in Fukuoka: Civic and University Collaborative Knowledge for Ambulance Utilization and Emergency Administration Policy Proposals.” The event attracted over 50 on-site participants and more than 30 online attendees from both inside and outside the university. This event was co-organized with the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).
Since April 2024, In2FS has been conducting study sessions on the theme “Considering Issues and Problems in Ambulance Utilization” through collaboration between its Think Tank Unit and Medicine and Health Unit. Appropriate ambulance use has become an urgent social challenge in modern society, where aging populations, urban concentration, and limited medical resources intersect. The event aimed to bring together government officials, businesses, universities, and citizens around Kyushu University’s “comprehensive knowledge” approach to collectively explore the “wicked problem” of ambulance utilization and related public issues, generating new understanding and proposals through dialogue.
The event opened with welcoming remarks from Prof. Akira Omoto, Leader of the Think Tank Unit, followed by greetings from Mr. Takahiro Shibata, Director of JST, and an overview presentation by Prof. Yoshito Ogata, Sub-Leader of the Think Tank Unit.
Students then presented their research findings and participated in a Q&A session, followed by a lecture titled “Current Situation and Challenges of Emergency Transportation” by Dr. Tomohiko Akahoshi, Director of Kyushu University Hospital Emergency and Critical Care Center.
During group discussions, participants actively shared opinions about ambulance utilization and new approaches to public services. The ideas from each group were synthesized and presented by facilitator faculty members: Prof. Eizo Okada (Think Tank Unit), Assoc. Prof. Akihiro Kishimura (Medicine and Health Unit), Lect. Kuriko Kudo (Medicine and Health Unit), Prof. Motohide Seki (Faculty of Design), and Prof. Yoshito Ogata.
The event concluded with closing remarks from Prof. Koichi Akashi, Sub-Leader of the Medicine and Health Unit.
The Think Tank Unit and Medicine and Health Unit will continue developing policy proposals for ambulance utilization and emergency administration, incorporating insights gained from this event.
