Reports on Visits Abroad: Tokyo Tech's Education Reform Efforts

Tokyo Tech is currently formulating a new education system to be launched in the 2016 academic year. It is Tokyo Tech's duty to cultivate global leaders who will contribute to the solving of global issues and innovate in the fields of science and technology. To this end it is imperative that we create an environment to enhance the motivation and abilities of our students at Tokyo Tech.

While carrying out education reform according to our three pillars of building an education system on a par with those of the world's top universities, innovating learning, and promoting ambitious internationalization, Tokyo Tech faculty members and administrative staff visited elite universities abroad to research their leading-edge efforts and exchange opinions with their executive administrations. The research covered curricula, summer schools, degrees, hands-on learning, active learning, problem-based learning, Christmas lectures, libraries, self-study spaces, IT lecture rooms, learning facilities, dormitories, benefits packages, facilities for international faculty members, lifelong learning, and design engineering.

On May 15 the Tokyo Tech faculty members and the one administrative staff member who conducted this research gave presentations about their visits to these top universities, what was learned there, and what was common among these institutions. In line with the aforementioned three pillars, Tokyo Tech faculty members highlight the following measures as applicable to Tokyo Tech's Education Reform.

At Caltech, the Curriculum Committee (CC) designs curricula. In order to incorporate external opinions, an Advisory Board consisting of representatives of corporations and faculty members of other universities was founded. Every other year a Student-Faculty Conference (SFC) is held to evaluate and give feedback on all curricula.

At Singapore University of Technology and Design, the involvement of multiple faculty members and staff in creating a curriculum for one area or discipline is not uncommon. Additionally, there are curricula where one subject is team-taught by multiple faculty members.

In order to improve the quality of education, the educational skills of faculty members are essential.

At ETH Zurich, no matter how excellent a doctoral student is as a researcher, he or she is sure to engage in educational activities as a teaching assistant. In addition to securing financial support from the university, it is important training for becoming a faculty member in the future.

The backbone of education at MIT is hands-on learning. For this reason, glass-walled labs and workshops are located all over campus to motivate students both inside and outside of them. There are many spaces where students gather together to study and discuss. Eating spaces and spaces for students to get together can be found in multiple places on campus.

At Delft University of Technology, the laboratories, educational spaces, meeting rooms and storage spaces in the renovated Faculty of Architecture's building (BK City) are commonly shared among the various departments. At the same time, the number of common spaces, such as work spaces, library spaces, cafes and restaurants, were drastically increased. The huge Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering building (IDE) has various types of learning spaces. In this way, the university provides choices to students according to their objectives and needs.

The interior of the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering building (IDE), Delft University of Technology

Many of the universities visited had well-prepared spaces for active learning in their libraries. At the University of Sheffield, a new facility which integrates a learning commons and a library was established in 2007. Different types of study spaces with various interiors are available for different purposes. For ease of discussion, some spaces have walls that are interactive white boards.

Learning commons are educational spaces where students learn through discussions and the use of a wide range of information in both digital and print formats. A learning commons provides not only equipment, including PCs and print materials, but is also a place where library staff members offer support services to students.

In order for students to take the initiative in their studies, they need the flexibility to change their course of study halfway through it.

At Delft University of Technology, a student who is enrolled in one program can move to another program or create his/her own program by applying to the Executive Board. The approval of the Examination Committee, comprised of about five faculty members appointed by the dean, is necessary to change programs. Through this system, credit transfers from other departments and universities are possible. In addition, some extracurricular activities can be recognized as credits under this system.

It is important to experience cutting-edge science and technology and realize the importance of learning soon after entering a university. The lecture style used for the Royal Institution's Christmas Lectures serves that purpose.

The Christmas Lectures are a series of lectures by renowned and outstanding scientists on a single topic for students between the ages of 11 and 17. These lectures have been held at the Royal Institution in London each year around Christmas for 188 years, since 1825, except for the years 1939 - 1942. The Christmas Lectures take place in a lecture theater where students sit in a rising semi-circle around the lecturer. The lectures feature many experiments and demonstrations while teaching the fun of science to students. It is especially worth noting that the lecturer does not mention his/her own research and research findings, but focuses on teaching basic scientific thinking. This teaching method is effective when teaching the basics to students.

The lecture theatre at the Royal Institution
Photo courtesy of the British Council

Delft University of Technology recommends that undergraduate students study abroad or do internships at corporations in the first half of their 3rd year. Additionally, students can sometimes earn credits by pursuing their passions, such as participating in the international solar vehicle race for example, or some other event or competition.

Nanyang Technological University's business school (NBS) has three internship programs offering internship opportunities in more than 30 countries.

Published: June 2014