University-wide Education Symposium "Kyoto University Way: How to Foster Talents Who Will Shape the Future" held (2 September 2015)

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The University-wide Education Symposium entitled "Kyoto University Way: How to Foster Talents Who Will Shape the Future" was held at the Funai Tetsuro Auditorium on the Katsura Campus, attended by 273 academic and administrative staff members from the university, and other participants.

This program of annual symposiums has operated since 1996. Its aims are promoting improvement and enhancement of education quality by deepening mutual understanding among participants through discussions and exchanges of views from a university-wide perspective; and providing opportunities for university staff members to interact across the borders of faculties, graduate schools, and institutions.

The morning session started with a keynote lecture by Professor Juichi Yamagiwa, President of Kyoto University, entitled "Challenges Kyoto University is Facing and Education KU is Seeking to Deliver". Then, Professor Kayo Matsushita of the Center for the Promotion of Excellence in Higher Education (CPEHE) gave a briefing on the distinctive features of KU's 10 faculties, using video clips. Teaching staff members representing the respective faculties followed up with more detailed accounts.

In the afternoon session, Professor Masao Kitano, Executive Vice-President for Education, Information Infrastructure, and Evaluation, delivered a lecture entitled "Kyoto University's Education Reform and the Circumstances of the Reform", which was followed by three debriefings: "KU's Efforts in Building Bridges and Promoting Collaboration between High Schools and the University" by Professor Atsushi Moriwaki, Dean of the Graduate School of Science; "Admission Policy: Selection of Entrants and Forthcoming Selection for Special Admission (Tokushoku Nyushi)" by Professor Kinami Atsushi of the Graduate School of Law, Assistant to the Executive Vice-President; and "Education in Liberal Arts and Sciences Starting from Academic Year 2016-2017" by Professor Hajime Kita, Deputy-Director of the Institute for Liberal Arts and Sciences (ILAS). After a short break, a panel discussion entitled "Kyoto University Way: How to Foster Talents Who Will Shape the Future" was held. Professor Totu Iiyoshi, Director of CPEHE and Assistant to the Executive Vice-President, facilitated a discussion by the panelists: from the university, President Yamagiwa, Executive Vice-President Kitano, Dean Moriwaki, Assistant to the Executive Vice-President Kinami, Deputy-Director Kita; from outside of the campus, Mr Koji Shiba, Principal of Osaka Prefectural Otemae Senior High School, and Ms Akiko Naka, Founder and CEO of Wantedly, Inc. The panelists examined the issue from multiple perspectives and presented to the audience a vision of "Kyoto University Way".

Insights and findings derived from the symposium will contribute to enhancing the quality of university-wide education in various ways, such as in improving ongoing programs and in organizing new activities.

From left: Executive Vice-President Kitano, Assistant to the Executive Vice-President Iiyoshi, and President Yamagiwa

Panel discussion