Social Design Institute - SDI

24/02/2026

On 18–19 February 2026, SDI and CIS were honored to welcome distinguished delegates from Chiba University — Prof. Daisuke Katagiri and Prof. Kotaro Takeda from the Center of Entrepreneurship, together with Mr. Hiroshi Sodeyama from the IA Division — alongside partners from Capital Medica Ventures, Mr. Takeshi Aoki and Ms. Yoko Gocho.

This visit marked an important milestone in strengthening entrepreneurship education at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi.

With the generous support of Capital Medica Ventures and the Center of Entrepreneurship, SDI is advancing a creative and socially grounded pathway to nurture the next generation of social innovation entrepreneurs, combining entrepreneurial vision with rigorous social impact assessment and regional engagement.

During the visit, Prof. Hikari Ishido, Prof. Michiko Takagaki, Asst. Prof. Pronyos Chattarakul, and Asst. Prof. Duangkamol Limwongse highlighted SDI’s expanding role in research collaboration and its growing network across Southeast Asia. SDI proudly serves as a connector, bridging academia, industry, and communities to create meaningful impact beyond borders.

Special appreciation to Asst. Prof. Dr. Vorapoch Angkasith, Assistant to the President for Business Developmen for presenting the dynamic KMUTT Business Development and Asst. Prof. Karuna Kleubmongkol, Ms. Arunothai Sarigakham, and Ms. Preeyakamon Soeseng from CIS for introducing CIS × SDI collaborations and showcasing the area-based development initiatives in Sakon Nakhon Province.

Together, we move forward, from collaboration to contribution, from education to transformation, and from local action to regional impact. 🌏✨

12/02/2026

The outcomes of Hero Makers: Character Design for a Better World now step into the public eye at คลองสานmake, Bangkok Design Week 2026. What began as sketches, stories, and shared curiosity across ages has grown into tangible characters, each one carrying a message of care for people, society, and the planet.

This exhibition celebrates lifelong learning through making: hands-on exploration, human-centered thinking, and the courage to turn ideas into form. Created through collaboration between learners, designers, and educators, these characters remind us that creativity has no age limit and meaningful change often starts small, with a single idea brought to life.

With heartfelt thanks to Chiba University, FabLab Bangkok, and Social Design Institute for supporting this journey, and to Dr. Juan Carlos Chacón Quintero and Dr. Hisa Nimi for inspiring makers to design with purpose.

✨ Come meet the heroes—and imagine the change they can create.

06/11/2025

16/09/2025

Let’s join us!

🌟 First-Ever Workshop in Bangkok! 🌟
SDI, together with Chiba University Japan, proudly presents “Hero Makers: Character Design for a Better World” – a 5-day bootcamp at FABLab Bangkok, 6–10 October 2025.

🎨 Learn from expert mentors, design heroes for change, and bring your ideas to life!
✨ Special SDI sponsorship: Only 7,000 THB (from 12,000 THB).

📅 Don’t miss this chance to challenge yourself and create characters that inspire a better future!
👉 Register now & join the movement.

16/09/2025

What an inspiring incubation journey! Congratulations to all SME companies for successfully creating innovative products and services under the guidance of expert mentors through the DIPROM Creative Next program, supported by DIPROM and KMUTT. A special round of applause to the prize-winning companies for their outstanding achievements!

16/09/2025

Chiba University students joined the Journey of Culture, Innovation & Friendship program, organized by CIS–KMUTT and SDI. Through fun and engaging activities in Thailand, they experienced meaningful cultural exchange—building friendship, creativity, and global understanding across different backgrounds.

02/04/2025

Celebrating Academic Collaboration & New Opportunities

We are delighted to congratulate Asst. Prof. Dr. Duangkamol Limwongse, Aum Limwongse from the Interior Architecture Program, School of Architecture and Design (SoA+D), KMUTT, on her appointment as a Visiting Researcher at Chiba University.

This appointment was officially granted by Prof. Koutaro Yokote, President of Chiba University, during his recent visit to the Social Design Institute (SDI) at the KX Building.

Dr. Duangkamol, an alumna of Chiba University with a Ph.D. from the Faculty of Engineering, has been a strong supporter of SDI’s mission. We believe her new role will serve as a vital bridge between KMUTT and Chiba University, fostering joint research initiatives and strengthening academic collaboration.

Congratulations once again! We look forward to seeing new ideas, innovations, and impactful research emerge from this collaboration.

01/04/2025

Strengthening Collaboration for Social Innovation in Asia

On Friday, March 28, 2025, the Social Design Institute (SDI) had the great honor of welcoming Prof. Koutaro Yokote, President of Chiba University; Prof. Hiroaki Ozawa, Vice President of Chiba University; and Assoc. Prof. Suvit Saetia, President of King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), to our office at the KX Building.

During this special visit, Prof. Hikari Ishido and Asst. Prof. Pronyos Chattarakul shared the significant progress of SDI over the past year. From driving high-impact social initiatives in Satun and Sakon Nakhon to building meaningful partnerships in Penang and Langkawi, SDI continues to grow as a platform for cross-border collaboration and social value creation.

SDI has actively engaged in research and development projects in socioeconomic development, future horticulture, and healthcare innovation, while also working closely with professors, researchers, local governments, and communities to create lifelong learning and innovation. Students from both Chiba University and KMUTT have been invited to join these real-world projects alongside our interdisciplinary teams.

This visit reaffirmed the strong commitment of Chiba University and KMUTT to strengthen collaboration, encourage academic and community partnerships, and drive social impact and innovation across Southeast Asia.

30/03/2025

Empowering SMEs Through Cross-Border Knowledge & Experience

We are proud to share that Prof. Hikari Ishido, Director of the Social Design Institute (SDI), recently shared his expertise on sustainable business practices and business case studies from Japan with over 40 SME entrepreneurs in Thailand. This special session was supported by the Department of Industry Promotion (DIPROM).

Adding even more value to the session, Prof. Ishido invited students from Chiba University to share their real experiences with Japanese products and services — bringing practical insights and fresh perspectives to the discussion.

We hope this meaningful exchange will inspire participating SMEs to continue developing sustainable business practices and strengthen cross-border collaboration.

30/03/2025

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Presidents of KMUTT and Chiba University for their continuous support and encouragement towards the Social Design Institute (SDI). Your recognition motivates us to keep advancing cross-knowledge-based research and building collaboration between our institutions.

We look forward to continuing this meaningful partnership and creating a positive social impact together.

22/02/2025

Exciting collaboration in action! 🎉

CIS and Social Design Institute - SDI are honored to welcome Prof. Kunikazu Moribe, Vice President of Chiba University, Prof. Michiko Takagaki, and students from Chiba University to our exhibitions at Bangkok Design Week 2025 at FabLab Bangkok.

Asst. Prof. Pronyos Chattarakul shared the inspiring progress of the SDI, a research initiative by Chiba University and KMUTT, and led a sharing session on the role of Design in Social Development.

A big thank you to everyone for joining this meaningful exchange of ideas! Let’s keep shaping a better future through design. ✨