Who We Are
We are a group of students and faculty at Sophia University who received design thinking training from Stanford University's Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). At UIF Sophia, our mission is to empower students to become leaders of change by sparking their creative confidence and building a culture of collaboration.

Why We Do What We Do
We live in a time of growing uncertainty and complexity. From the climate crisis to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are facing "wicked problems" that cannot be solved easily. In the midst of these global challenges, many young people in Japan and around the world feel a sense of powerlessness – a feeling that our personal actions are insignificant and unable to effect meaningful change. As students ourselves, we know this feeling all too well. Yet, we also know the incredible potential of youth as positive changemakers. At the same time, students cannot solve today’s complex problems alone. We need to collaborate with people across different ages, disciplines, and statuses.
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At University Innovation Fellows Sophia, we believe that empowering youth and fostering collaboration between students and different actors are key to driving innovative solutions for creating sustainable, peaceful, and just societies.

Our Main Projects