Sekisho Corporation × University of Tsukuba Pilot Workshop: Multinational Teams of Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese Students Take on a Real-World Business Challenge
2026.1.26
On January 20, 2026, as part of the initiatives of the Social Impact Promotion Office, the University of Tsukuba and Sekisho Corporation jointly conducted a pilot program to explore new approaches to recruitment.
In this program, nine students from Japan, China, and Vietnam were divided into multicultural teams and participated in a Multicultural Co-Learning workshop facilitated by Assistant Professor Misako Fukushima of the Social Impact Promotion Office. Each team worked collaboratively to develop solutions to a real-world business challenge presented by the company.
Employees from Sekisho Corporation also attended the workshop to observe the students’ discussions and teamwork. During the final presentations, company representatives provided direct feedback on each team’s proposals, giving participants a valuable opportunity to connect their academic learning with real-world business practice.
This pilot program aimed to explore a new approach to recruitment by showcasing aspects of students that are often difficult to observe through conventional methods such as interviews and company information sessions. By working on authentic business challenges, students not only gained a deeper understanding of the company and its industry but also had the opportunity to naturally demonstrate their problem-solving skills, initiative, and ability to collaborate with others.
The challenge presented in this workshop was: “Identify difficulties that international residents face when using retail services in Japan—such as convenience stores, supermarkets, mobile phone shops, and gas stations—and propose practical solutions and new service ideas.” Divided into two multicultural teams, the students actively exchanged ideas and worked together to develop creative proposals.
Although this was a pilot event conducted within a limited timeframe, the University of Tsukuba hopes to further strengthen its collaboration with Sekisho Corporation. Through the Social Impact Promotion Office, the University also aims to expand similar partnerships with more companies in the future, creating additional opportunities for students to engage with real-world challenges through multicultural co-learning.
