The University at a Crossroads:
The Evolution of Education and the Importance of Nurturing a Sense of Vision in Every Student

- Prof. Terumichi, you graduated from Shiki Senior High School, is that right?

Yes, I've loved baseball ever since I was little, so I went to Shiki and joined the baseball team, where I played shortstop. In fact, my uncle was a member of the Keio Cheer Group. When I was young, he took me to the Waseda-Keio Baseball Games at Jingu Stadium, where he used to tell me, "You're going to wear a gray [Keio] uniform when you grow up. You'd better never let me catch you wearing a white [Waseda] one," he'd say (laughs). I started having lung problems between my second and third year of high school, so my doctor ordered me to stop playing. But then, my baseball coach approached me about coaching, so when I went to university, I became a manager for the Shiki High School baseball team.

- At Keio, you enrolled in the Faculty of Science and Technology.

In high school, I hadn't really thought about whether I would pursue the arts or sciences. But once baseball was no longer an option, I started thinking about what to study at university. And that's when the field of science and engineering somehow came to mind. Once I enrolled, I found that the Faculty of Science and Technology involved more coursework than many faculties in the arts and social sciences, making it challenging to balance coursework with coaching. I used to rush from Yagami Campus to Hiyoshi Station after third period to catch a train to Shiki High School?every single day. As an undergraduate, I belonged to the mechanical dynamics laboratory. After graduating, I started working as an engineer at Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, which was an excellent organization with plenty of engineers I respected. But as I worked alongside them, I became acutely aware of my lack of knowledge and felt a compelling desire to relearn the field of mechanical dynamics.

- Is that what led you to leave that job and return to study at Keio's Graduate School of Science and Engineering?

Despite the privilege of joining Mitsubishi, I realized that the job ultimately tested my skills as an engineer. I felt a strong need to prove to myself that I was up to the challenge. At the Graduate School of Science and Technology, I worked toward my Ph.D. at the same laboratory where I studied as an undergraduate. At the time, I was working on vibration analysis of wire ropes used in skyscraper elevators. After graduate school, I was hired as an assistant at the Institute of Industrial Science at the University of Tokyo. I began to work on research on vehicles, which would later lead to my focus on high-speed railways. After four years at the University of Tokyo, I was hired as an associate professor at Sophia University through a public recruitment process. This year marks my twenty-sixth year with the university. During my tenure, I have served as the Director of the Center for Student Affairs, Director of the Admissions Center, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Director of the Human Resources Center for International Cooperation before becoming president of the university in 2017.

- As president, what do you think gives Sophia University its advantage?

In a word, I'd say it's our openness. I want to emphasize that having an open educational and research environment that transcends disciplinary boundaries is one of Sophia's most significant strengths. In my joint research, for example, I collaborate with professors of economics and education to devise strategies for developing low-environmental-impact rail networks in regions without established transport infrastructure while also incorporating fieldwork abroad. I'm also very open to collaborative research from outside the university. In my laboratory, I've worked with JR Central for many years on earthquake countermeasures for Shinkansen trains. Through our work alone, we have produced nearly ten professional doctorates from JR Central. As a researcher, I've really appreciated such an open research environment.

- It sounds like Sophia University is one of Japan's most open, globally-minded institutions.

Thank you for saying so. Sophia University has about 400 partner institutions worldwide, and before the COVID-19 pandemic, we hosted students from 92 countries. Despite being less than half the size of some of Japan's renowned comprehensive four-year universities like Keio, we're proud of our ability to provide this level of international exchange. However, I believe we mustn't become complacent. Instead, we must take on a global perspective and aim even higher. As a Catholic university, we are a member of the Society of Jesus. The Jesuits have about 80 universities worldwide, including top-tier institutions like Boston College and Georgetown University in the United States. There are even more universities within the broader Catholic community. Sophia University must continue to address various global challenges within this network and develop education and research to nurture the next generation of global leaders. At Sophia, we aspire to be a university that is trusted and respected worldwide by maintaining a unique presence within this context. There is a general interest in and great expectations for Asia—and for Japan, in particular. Sophia University already offers degree programs in English, so I'm always thinking about what else we can do to further meet the expectations of people coming to Sophia from outside Japan.

- Generative AI has been a hot topic recently, and university education and research are at an inflection point in the ever-evolving and expanding use of technology.

Universities today are confronted not just with questions about pedagogy but also fundamental questions about the very nature of education. Universities are recognized as places for specialized academic research, but, at the same time, they are also environments for nurturing individuals who will live and thrive in modern society. Both aspects are crucial for a university, and recent social changes have highlighted the role of the university campus as a place for personal growth. There is a long tradition and history of specialized academic research at the university throughout the modern era, but now is the time to start creating a new university environment. It is urgent that we discuss what literacies are truly necessary for students today and reflect these in our curricula.

As part of this effort, Sophia University has already started to create an environment where all undergraduate students can learn the fundamentals of data science. We have also made an introductory course in data science compulsory for all students. Students majoring in the social sciences who base their research on surveys, for instance, are required to have data analysis skills. Consequently, we have established a system that allows students in the humanities and social sciences to study advanced data science if needed. Going forward, we intend to continue refining our curricula to include the use of ICT and AI tools for problem-solving to equip students with the literacies they will need to thrive.

- Have you witnessed a shift in the general nature of university students today?

Yes, I've felt firsthand a change in students. I admire how well they absorb new knowledge and information, having grown up in such an information-rich society. However, what's important is the ability to transform this input of information and experience into social output. We are moving away from the traditional three-stage linear life model of education, work, and retirement in favor of a multi-stage model that includes entrepreneurship, relearning, and volunteering. The critical questions now revolve around how students demonstrate what they have absorbed at each stage in life and how they apply that experience to design their lives. I would also like our students at Sophia to acquire global negotiation skills since so many of them go on to work internationally. The ability to negotiate and build consensus with people of different cultures and value systems will become increasingly important. It's not just about language skills or negotiation tactics, though; resilience is also needed to bring about consensus. Negotiation studies is a field of business literacy in places like the US and Europe, but it's often neglected here in Japan. If we think of the university campus as a place for personal growth, then surely there is a much-needed place to master the ideas of social output and negotiation. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. Many other university leaders must also see the need to provide such spaces for students now. The challenges that universities face during these transformative times must be buoyed by an understanding from society at large. The traditional model of four-year undergraduate education should be considered a thing of the past. We need deeper social discussion around expectations for universities that consider the continuity from secondary education and the growth of students even after they enter the workforce.

- You just mentioned continuity from secondary education. Do you have any suggestions for Keio University, which offers education from elementary to graduate school?

I would suggest thinking about what is essential for people living through such a period of transition. With innovative technologies and tools like AI emerging one after another, we feel anxious about keeping up with the rapid changes and expectations of this new era. I believe that what people ultimately need to escape this anxiety are personal values and ethics, or what we might call "vision." The ability to live through such a transformative period in society is not something that can be learned overnight. Earlier, I mentioned that a traditional university education, which concludes after four years of undergraduate study, should be considered obsolete. To cultivate vision, continuity is key. I believe Keio University has successfully built a specific "vision" into its education as an educational institution, with affiliated schools offering a continuous education experience from elementary school. In my opinion, Keio should continue to cherish this strength while updating it according to the times. And as to how Sophia University, as a higher education institution, can establish the systems to cultivate such vision—well, that remains a significant challenge for me.

- Could you say a few final words to current students and fellow alumni?

Regardless of your faculty, I hope that you remain conscious of the multi-stage model of life I mentioned and acquire a strong vision and the ability to design your life. Your studies at Keio will surely help you lay the foundation for this.

I also hope that the Keio community will continue to exert its influence for the betterment of the world. Your experiences at Keio University will undoubtedly afford you significant advantages after you graduate. Those with such advantages are obligated to give back, which is something I, too, am mindful of in my duties as president.

- Thank you for your time.

Yoshiaki Terumichi
President, Sophia University

Yoshiaki Terumichi graduated from Keio University's Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Faculty of Science and Technology in 1985 and completed a master's program at the Graduate School of Science and Technology in 1990. In 1994, he received a Ph.D. in engineering, having completed the course requirements for the doctoral program from the same graduate school.

He became an assistant professor at the Institute of Industrial Science at the University of Tokyo before moving to Sophia University in 1998 to become an associate professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the Faculty of Science and Technology. He became a full professor in 2004. He has served as a professor in the Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences within the same faculty since 2008, after departmental reforms.

Terumichi specializes in the dynamics of machinery, engaging in research on subjects such as high-speed railways. At Sophia University, he served as Vice President for Academic Affairs, Executive Director for Global Academic Affairs, and Director of the Human Resources Center for International Cooperation before being appointed the 16th President of Sophia University in 2017.

In 2019, he was awarded the Yagami Prize. He gave a special lecture at the general assembly of the Faculty of Science and Technology Alumni Association during the 2021 Keio Mita-Kai Homecoming Day.

*This article originally appeared in the 2024 winter edition (No. 321) of Juku.