SERVICE

01

Japan's investment in education is lagging behind the rest of the world and has become an important issue, while the educational facilities and campuses that support the field are aging and the need for renovation and reconstruction is increasing. The decreasing of students due to the declining birthrate and aging population, education of global/specially skilled human resources, new educational needs such as Society 5.0, responses to diversity and sustainability, and changing attitudes due to infectious diseases will greatly change the shape of education. In order to respond to the wide range of issues surrounding educational institutions, formulation and review of an academic plan that depicts the ideal form of education and a campus grand design that guides improvement of the environment to realization, are important keystones of management policies.

At Index Group, we provide comprehensive support from the formulation of campus grand design to the establishment of procuring methods and implementation systems for construction and maintenance of each facility in accordance with the plan, as well as implementation support. We are independent of the practices and interests of various industries and use our advanced planning and conceptual skills to co-create the ideal educational institution, thereby finding the best solution for clients who are taking on the challenge of educational restructuring.

02

Campus Grand Design Formulation

Index Group supports the realization of an educational environment that backs the transformation of educational activities (academic plan) through the formulation and implementation of a campus grand design. In addition to facility construction, we are a team of experts in urban planning, land use, regional cooperation, natural environment, IT, energy planning and management, etc., helping educational institutions solve their problems and realize their educational philosophy. We also promote formulation of facility plans that consider facility management plans post-construction and plans that anticipate facility repairs.

Consensus building with a wide range of stakeholders is also an important factor in the success of projects at educational facilities. In addition to supporting the establishment of an implementation system and promotion support for the project while obtaining the consensus of many stakeholders, including board members, faculty, staff, and students, we also support the formation of a smart campus that can be used as a model for the SDGs in the areas of environment, energy, infrastructure, disaster prevention and safety, and regional cooperation.

03

Establishment of new faculties

To establish a new faculty, it is necessary to formulate a program and curriculum, apply to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and, if new facilities are required, to plan and design them at the same time. At Index Group, we can assist in developing programs and curriculums, applications to MEXT, and creating plans for facility development.

04

BCP Formulation

In recent years, while business continuity planning (BCP) has been actively pursued by private companies, universities have been slow to formulate BCP policies and take effective measures. Universities are expected to play a role not only in ensuring the safety of students, but also as a wide-area evacuation center for the community and society. A BCP is not just an emergency measure after an incident has occurred, but rather a plan that includes costs and systems for countermeasures, as well as measures to be taken in the event of an incident.
We can help build a BCP study team, collaborate with experts, support consensus building among related parties, manage meetings, etc., as well as provide project management, facility management, and budgeting support based on assumed damage to facilities and equipment.

05

Renovation, reconstruction, and new construction of educational facilities

When renovating, reconstructing, and building educational facilities, various issues arise, such as difficulty in selecting a procuring method, shortage of personnel, difficulty in building consensus within the university, and increased costs due to plan additions and changes. Therefore, Index Group provides comprehensive support, including comparative studies to determine whether to renovate or rebuild facilities, planning for new construction, selection of contractors, construction work, cost management, and establishment of operation and maintenance management systems.

In the planning stage, we formulate the basic plan, plan the project concept and examine the validity of the project, confirm the legal constraints, examine the financing scheme, and build a project team to facilitate the project, manage meetings, and support consensus building within the university.

In the construction phase, we objectively sort out the requirements for the planned facilities and introduce bidding and procuring methods that suit the purpose of each one. In addition to optimizing other functions, we optimize usability, ensure quality, and optimize construction costs, including management and operation aspects. We will also thoroughly manage schedules, tasks, and costs.

06

Optimization of facility maintenance and management

It is said that the cost of facility maintenance is 20-30% of the net expenses at private universities. In the case of educational facilities, the initial cost is 30-40%, and the cost for maintenance, management and operation is 60-70% of the facility cost. Therefore, optimizing the cost of maintenance, operation and management directly leads to improved finance in school management, which in turn leads to an improved environment for investment in education, which should be the main investment for a university.

Specifically, the three key elements of maintenance and management costs are shown in the figure below, and their improvement and rationalization is effective in reducing costs. In order to maximize the effect, Index Group provides management services by overseeing these three elements and utilizing an overall perspective, objective view, and comprehensive knowledge.