NEWS

IB Day Japan "Sustainable Practices in Education" Held on Campus

Update: April 1, 2025

On March 28, 2025, the IB Day Japan event, hosted by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) and supported by ICU, was held on campus.
The event brought together over 100 participants from diverse educational backgrounds, including middle and high school teachers, university faculty and staff, and members of boards of education.

In his opening remarks, ICU President Shoichiro Iwakiri highlighted the shared educational philosophy between IB education and liberal arts education--namely, the cultivation of global citizens committed to building a peaceful world.
Following this, the chair of board of trustees Hirotaka Takeuchi delivered a keynote address titled "Transforming Japanese Education and Business in the VUCA Era." Based on a range of case studies, he introduced keywords such as "breaking free from the honor student mindset" and "the importance of honestly acknowledging inferiority," which resonated deeply with the educators in attendance.

Afterwards, panel discussions were held on topics including school education, the environment, teacher training, and teacher development, with lively exchanges taking place between panelists and participants.

The event concluded with a panel discussion featuring three graduates of ICU's IB teacher certification program. Under the themes "current society and myself" and "myself and the society of the future," the panelists shared personal experiences from their professional fields, discussing the challenges they face and how the spirit and approach fostered through IB and liberal arts education have shaped their responses. Their insights resonated with the audience.