Outline

In the midst of the increasing desire for the cultivation of highly advanced “intellectual professionals” who will shape the future society and economy, and with the aim of realizing Society 5.0 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the reform of graduate education is being sought. This “Forum for Graduate School Educational Reform” is being held as a platform for university stakeholders to widely share and discuss initiatives and achievements in distinguished graduate programs.

We are pleased to announce that University of Tsukuba will be hosting the “Forum for Graduate School Educational Reform 2023” as the organizing institution. The COVID-19 pandemic has been reclassified as a Category 5 infectious disease. We hope that you will gather in the Tsukuba Science City to engage in fruitful discussions and have an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of face-to-face dialogue.

The environment surrounding us has become an era of uncertainty in a rapidly changing global society. Issues such as global warming, environmental pollution, infectious diseases, financial crises, and terrorism spread rapidly across borders. The challenges we need to solve, such as energy and environmental issues and the revitalization of industries and economies, require global collaboration and innovation that goes beyond conventional thinking.

Japanese universities are also expected to enhance our international competitiveness. The goals are to enrich academic research, create new academic theories, and develop human resources capable of passing down knowledge and skills across generations. Furthermore, it is widely recognized that interdisciplinary cooperation is necessary to solve a variety of challenges. We believe that it is important for all activities in classrooms and research laboratories to be internationally compatible, and for all students to have the opportunity to choose interdisciplinary learning in various combinations. We are working towards the realization of a university system that enables the “normalization of internationality and interdisciplinarity.

In this forum, while focusing on the main theme of “normalization of internationality and interdisciplinarity”, we aim to create a platform for exchanging opinions from a wide range of perspectives on graduate education reform. We will share the achievements and initiatives of educational programs at various universities involved in the development of doctoral talents, and strive to meet the expectations of society for doctoral programs and enhance the foundation for international collaboration. We hope that this forum will be an opportunity to realize a “flexible educational and research organization” that transcends conventional notions and the “new framework of universities” demanded by the next generation. We look forward to welcoming all of you to Tsukuba.

When discussing internationalization at graduate schools, there seems to be a focus on creating English programs to attract international students and increasing opportunities for Japanese students to gain overseas experiences. As for improving interdisciplinary collaboration, there is often a discussion about establishing interdisciplinary research faculties in fields like medicine and engineering. We believe that in order for Japanese graduate schools to enhance their international recognition and attract outstanding students from around the world, it is essential to increase the number of graduates who can excel on the global stage. To achieve this, the entire graduate school, including all classrooms and laboratories, needs to operate with international standards, and it is crucial to have a graduate school system that allows students to choose from a wide range of interdisciplinary learning options. We hope this forum will provide an opportunity for exchange between international students, Japanese students, and those from various academic disciplines to envision the future of Japanese graduate schools.

We very much appreciate the opportunity to host the Third Forum for Graduate School Educational Reform here in Tsukuba. This forum aims to promote the initiatives such as the Leading Graduate School Doctoral Program and the WISE Program for the ongoing and future reform of graduate education in Japan. It serves as a platform for sharing and discussing the current progresses and challenges surrounding participating graduate schools, the situations of doctoral graduates, and the governmental policies supporting the reform. We invite students and graduates from the graduate schools nationwide, as well as representatives from universities, industry, and government agencies. We plan such activities as showcasing initiatives in the WISE program, presenting case studies by graduates, and organizing workshops for students. We hope to engage in fruitful discussions towards our main theme of “normalization of internationality and interdisciplinarity”.