Let's Talk about .. Tokyo Tech International Symposium on Education Reform

I have received information of this symposium from Prof. Junichi Iijima, my advisor, so I registered this symposium with the eager to see the education systems in MIT and UC Berkery and the plan of Tokyo Tech.

On March 14th, 2014, there was Tokyo Tech International Symposium on Education Reform at the 70th Anniversary Auditorium, Tokyo Tech Ookayama Campus, Tokyo, Japan.

The symposium is part of the education reformation plan of Tokyo Tech towards being one of the world top ten universities by 2030.

It was not allowed to take a photo or video in this symposium. Thus I wrote this summary based on my memory and my memo from the symposium.

The MC of the event was Assoc.Prof. Kayoko Nahara (Tokyo Tech). This symposium provided bilingual (English/Japanese) via the live audio receiver. It was started with the welcome address by Prof. Yoshinao Mishima, President of Tokyo Tech.

Keynote Talks: Education Systems at US Universities

First talk: "An insider's view of an MIT education"

by Prof. W. Eric L. Grimson, Chancellor for Academic Advancement, MIT (USA)

In summary, MIT now provides not only the indoor class, but also outdoor education that can increase other cross-disciplinary skills, which cannot be obtained from the traditional classroom such as leadership, for their students. Currently, 2/3 of MIT students are in engineering fields while the most popular fields (40% of that portion) appear to be in mechanical engineering, computer science, and electrical engineering.

Current students are likely to learn the real world context rather than the contents which are staying in the classroom. Also, they have an aim to make the impact of their interesting aspect (of global problems) or so-called global awareness.

As a result, he suggested that there are 4 must-develop things:

(1) "New delivery methods": new learning style;

(2) "New content": cross disciplinary content;

(3) "New living and learning settings": providing effective opportunities; and

(4) "Global leadership skills": the skills beyond the class

He suggested key elements of curriculum consist of:

(1) "Key elements of curriculum";

(2) "Seeing technical topics in context";

(3) "Hands-on, action based learning"; and

(4) together with some others such as leadership, art, athletics.

Moreover, he introduced some MIT's projects/programs:

MIT Public Service Center is a place that supports students who have motivation to make the impact to the world. Not only the benefits to society, but the students also can learn leadership simultaneously during doing the activity as a team;

MIT 100K Entrepreneurship Competition is a competition that lets the students practice the entrepreneurship. This program has created more than 130 companies around the world;

Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership Program;

MIT's Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program (UPOP);

Internship program in 16 countries including Japan, China, Chile, etc.; and

MIT's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

In addition, he introduced about the online course system founded by MIT, edX.

Lastly, he spoke of  the education plan that should be reformed. I feel they are quite fastinating. 

First, the "competency-based assessment" throughout the semester should be used instead of just waiting what the students will answer in the final exam at the end of the semester; the changing of the traditional classroom to be online classroom and letting the class being the laboratory or problem-solving classes; the dormitory should be changed from just a place to sleep to be a place to learn, and the traditional library should be changed to a "Making space" where students can make or invent something together.

Second talk: "Tradition and Innovation in Higher Education through Shared Governance"

by Prof. Ronald Gronsky, Special Faculty Assistant to the Chancellor for International Relations, UC Berkeley (USA) 

There were many interesting stories Prof. Gronsky mentioned such as many interesting statistical facts especially the amount of financial support for students which are nearly the amount of support of all Ivy League.

"Shared governance" is the idea introduced and suggested by him. In UC Berkeley, there is a systematic structure. For example, the promotion of academic position which follows the step of evaluation (there are many steps inside Asst.Prof., Assoc.Prof., and Prof.).

The evaluation of faculty is based on teaching, researching, professional activity, and university and public service.

Keynote Talk: Education Systems at Tokyo Tech

by Prof. Yoshinao Mishima, President, Tokyo Tech (Japan)

Mainly, Prof. Mishima talked about goal that Tokyo Tech will be part of the world top ten research universities by 2030. He mentioned about the formation of the committee and reformation plan that is going to be reviewed and start using in spring semester of Academic Year 2016.

PS. If I did any mistake, please feel free to inform me or share your idea in the comments.

Ref.

[1] Tokyo Institute of Technology. (2014, March 14). Tokyo Tech International Symposium on Education Reform: Best Practices for Realization of World-Class Science and Engineering Higher Education Systems. Tokyo: Tokyo Institute of Technology.