able ▁development ▁through ▁innov ative ▁design ▁and ▁international ▁collaboration . ▁The ▁cul min ation ▁of ▁this ▁work ▁was ▁the ▁Ky oto ▁Design ▁Dec laration ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁emphas izing ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁human ▁centered ▁design ▁thinking . ▁ ▁S ot ama a ▁has ▁been ▁also ▁act ively ▁involved ▁in ▁university ▁policies ▁and ▁produced ▁numerous ▁publications ▁and ▁articles ▁on ▁university ▁aut onomy , ▁academic ▁quality ▁systems ▁and ▁international izing ▁university ▁education . ▁ ▁The ▁international ▁design ▁production ▁of ▁S ot ama a ▁includes ▁two ▁major ▁international ▁exhib itions : ▁Var de ▁and ▁Q ▁- ▁Design ing ▁the ▁Qu iet ness . ▁Var de ▁was ▁produced ▁by ▁six ▁major ▁Nord ic ▁Design ▁Univers ities ▁with ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁Nord ic ▁Council ▁of ▁Minister s . ▁Over ▁ 3 0 0 ▁students ▁of ▁the ▁six ▁schools ▁were ▁address ing ▁the ▁future ▁challeng es ▁of ▁the ▁world ▁and ▁producing ▁vis ions ▁of ▁the ▁future ▁through ▁their ▁works . ▁The ▁exhibition ▁was ▁first ▁presented ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁College ▁of ▁Art ▁in ▁London ▁and ▁tou red ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 – 1 9 9 6 ▁in ▁Rome , ▁Berlin , ▁Budapest , ▁Barcelona , ▁ ▁S app oro , ▁Tai pe i , ▁Se oul , ▁Lin z ▁and ▁Hels ink i . ▁Q ▁- Des ign ing ▁the ▁Qu iet ness ▁was ▁a ▁major ▁event ▁of ▁the ▁Fe el ▁Finland ▁program ▁in ▁Japan ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁and ▁was ▁first ▁presented ▁in ▁the ▁Living ▁Design ▁Center ▁O