THE BOUNDARIES OF INDUSTRY-ACADEMIA INTERACTIONS: FIRST STEPS TO PREPARE IA-DESIGN EDUCATION FOR SOCIETY 5.0

This article explores the integration of digital and physical spaces in Society 5.0, emphasising the role of design and AI education in addressing societal challenges through technological innovation. It advocates for an agile action research approach in design education to equip students with practical skills for real-world challenges, aligning with global trends in human-centric design. The research methodology involves a collaborative effort among 20 academics, industry professionals, and students, and in this paper, we are analysing data from two workshops. The workshops focused on understanding and aligning integration models between industry and academia. This preliminary study examined the workshop deliverables using qualitative analyses and tools like Python's Matplotlib and NetworkX libraries. It is predicated on the idea that transformative industry-academia collaborations will be essential in Society 5.0, requiring a synergy of theoretical research and practical applications. It underscores overcoming bureaucratic and trust barriers to create sustainable, impactful collaborations. Our outcome so far is that the success of industry-academia research partnerships depends on the following key factors: alignment of values, effective translation of academic research into practical applications, empathy in the context of multidisciplinary collaboration, clear communication and expectation management, and a focus on broader societal impacts. Future research focuses on integrating technologies with Society 5.0 objectives, enhancing cooperation, and reducing discrepancies between academic theory and industrial practice.