Unraveling the Fundamental Idea Behind the Global Orientation of ICU and TUJ From the Past: Coming Together to Understand One Another and Moving Forward toward Progress

Temple University was established approximately 140 years ago in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the northeastern part of the U.S. This comprehensive public research university has been expanding its curriculum and student body, with currently more than 30,000 students enrolled at its campus in the U.S. The University opened its Rome campus in 1966, and was the first American university to open a branch in Japan (TUJ) in 1982. These overseas campuses complement the University’s unique international initiatives. In Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2023, Temple was ranked in the top 301～350th group among 1799 universities in 104 countries.

Wilson explained that, “At TUJ, about 40% of the students are from the U.S., and 40% are from Japan. The remaining are from nearly 70 countries around the world. TUJ’s strength is that students can obtain an American university degree from Temple University, a first-tier institution in the U.S. All classes are conducted in English in an international environment. Students wishing to study in Japan have the opportunity to study in English, as well as learn the Japanese language and understand the local culture.”

Eskildsen talked about his expectations for TUJ with its impact on higher education in Japan. “International education in Japan tends to focus on globalizing the curriculum and organization. But TUJ offers an American experience within a global context, a rare opportunity of benefit to Japanese society.”

Designing Experience and Mutual Interaction for an Uncertain Future

Living in a VUCA world today, SDGs have been proposed as a way to address an uncertain future with complicated and interconnected global problems. Needless to say, the promotion of DX and AI during the pandemic played a part in accelerating social change. It will be indispensable for people to cooperate regardless of differences in nationality, race, gender or culture, to overcome the challenges posed on this planet. Amidst growing momentum to respect diversity around the world, Japan seems to be behind the curve, as it ranked lowest in gender equality among OECD member states. What perspectives are necessary in cultivating human resources in Japan, to come to terms with rapid social change and the need to accept diversity?

Wilson described the strengths of the education TUJ offers. “We provide access to an American university degree in Japan from Temple University, a very well-known institution in the U.S. This is an advantage for students seeking to further education or employment in the U.S. They also benefit from being able to tap into the University’s Career Center in Philadelphia supported by a network of 360,000 alumni living in 145 countries. With increasing interest in Japan for globalization and preparing people for an international strategy, there seems to be a growing premium on an American degree and an international experience. When I was a student, an international experience and English proficiency were not as highly valued in Japan as they are today.”

Eskildsen agreed that the college experience of students and interaction between them are important. “The majority of our students are Japanese nationals, but they come with complicated and interesting backgrounds in ways that I personally enjoy. When we talk about respect for diversity, we should not limit the discussion to superficial differences such as nationality, race or gender. To coexist with others in the real sense, it will be indispensable to know others’ values and cultural background through dialogue. This is why ICU prepares students to communicate in various ways to engage different people with a global perspective. It will be important to understand languages and cultures students are not familiar with in modern society where internationalization will progress even further. The experience and mutual interaction at ICU will add value to their lives and ability to work.”

The Pros and Cons of STEAM Education in the U.S.
The Arts Matter Today More Than Ever

Due to rapid innovation in technology and globalization, we face many social issues today. To find solutions to these problems, we need to amass and integrate knowledge across different fields. In reaction to these challenges, the Obama administration drew attention to its policy of prioritizing improvement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. STEAM, its successor, incorporated the arts in the mix. In Japanese, the word arts is usually translated as geijutsu, which refers to fine arts and music, However, here it includes dancing, the theatrical arts, sports, as well as literature and history, academic fields that encompass a wide range of subject matter that relates to the body, sensitivity, and narrativity. Pursuing a comprehensive understanding of these fields helps to stimulate creativity and to encourage innovative ideas. The Japanese Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, Sports and Technology (MEXT) incorporated the idea of STEAM education in revising its Curriculum Guidelines and in designating Super Science High Schools (SSH) and Super Global High Schools (SGH). In the U.S., the importance of creativity and soft skills rather than hard skills, has also been receiving more attention.

Eskildsen agreed that people need the enjoyment that the arts can provide, in referring to the social value of liberal arts. “People who have the technological knowledge can write a good computer program or design a good algorithm, but if they don’t know the difference between different cultural groups, they’re not going to put that knowledge into their algorithm. Having people with broader knowledge in liberal arts who can engage with people in different fields is useful in making the most of each to achieve results.”

He also talked about going back to the concept of civilization in grasping the value of arts. “The civilization human beings have cultivated over the ages has brought more than just technical solutions. As a part of civilization, the arts provide social and cultural perspectives in thinking that push students to think about their own personal values to ask the question, ‘What makes my life worth living?’”

Wilson agreed. “Our memories are short, so I think there’s so much value in what has transpired previously. In the humanities and social sciences, there are giants that preceded us from whom we can learn in shaping the fabric of our lives. Only by passing on this kind of education, can we avoid the mistakes our ancestors made. Witnessing the Russian invasion of Ukraine today, I find it frightening that there is a disconnect with the horrors of war that preceded it, people thinking that attacking Ukraine is somehow justified. As educators, we need to continue to raise awareness for the importance of studying the arts.”

With Further Uncertainty Ahead, the Value of Taking the Long Road and Comparative Studies

ChatGPT, a conversational AI chatbot introduced in November 2022, had an immediate impact on various industries. Users type in prompts for responses as if chatting with another human. The reliability of the answers has also been extensively discussed. Chat GPT takes in the massive information available on the Internet to produce responses with its understanding of sophisticated vocabulary and expressions. It can remember past conversations and revise answers according to users’ directions. Recently, Metaverse, a network of 3D virtual worlds forming the next evolution in social connection, has been in the spotlight. How are the two universities adapting to the rapid progress in information technology?
Wilson explained, “From the perspective of liberal arts, TUJ offers instruction and lectures by leaders in industry. Examples are our general education courses on the Metaverse and eSports, offering students with a hands-on understanding of the new technology.” But he expressed concern that the technology was taking over roles that humans have played. “Chat GPT delivers in seconds what took us hours to research. To avoid job displacement, universities need to offer ways for students to hone their creativity, leadership and communication skills, capabilities where AI falls short.”

Eskildsen responded with the observation that “Some universities are having to change the way they assess students’ participation because you can get ChatGPT to work on your assignment with a better result than your own in less time. The other problem is that AI will pull out answers from the Internet, where there are a lot of mistakes and incorrect information, so users need to confirm the accuracy of the responses. In these circumstances, we need critical thinking skills to discern what we need from AI and use them to our advantage for the world. These are the qualities that need to be cultivated as an added value in education for the future. We have to teach students how to use AI and other tools critically, to make life more efficient but at the same time make sure we are changing the world in a good way. That’s where the value added comes in with education.”

To grasp issues critically, we need to liberate ourselves from conventional thinking and incorporate diverse cultural values to think about the issues. Comparative studies are an integral part of the liberal education offered at TUJ and ICU, where classrooms are filled with diverse students.

Wilson recounted an example that left a deep impression on him. “As a lawyer, I taught a Japanese Law course at TUJ Law School from a comparative context, to students from the U.S., Europe, Africa and South America with aspirations for the Bar. One day a Japanese lawyer asked if she could take the course. Although I consented, I felt nervous with her in the classroom at first because she might feel uncomfortable with an interpretation of her legal system from a Western viewpoint. But after the course, she thanked me for letting her participate, saying that it provided her with an objective perspective and fresh take on Japanese law, which she intended to apply to her own practice and share with her colleagues.”

Cultivating the Confidence to Embrace the Fear of the Future The Importance of an Education That Allows for Failure and Making Discoveries

While social issues continue to mount in Japan, generating innovation has been advocated as a way out of turmoil. The March 2021 Cabinet Decision 6th Science Technology Innovation Basic Plan advocated strengthening the capacity for innovation as a policy for a sustainable and resilient society in the face of threats and uncertainly. In recent years, businesses and MEXT have been cultivating innovators through entrepreneurship education. Despite some progress, Eskildsen said, “There are still some real problems,” especially in comparison with the U.S. and Europe.

Wilson gave an example. “When I engage with a group of high school students in the United States about the future, they talk about the type of career they want, what they want to do and what they want to become. In contrast, Japanese high school students tend to talk about who they want to work for as opposed to what they want to do. I see an entrepreneurial spirit in the former, while I sense a need to belong in the latter, an emotional need to affiliate with and be accepted by members of a group. If the objective is to nurture entrepreneurs, a different approach must be adopted to make changes in the education system. In fact, the education system in the U.S. offers ample opportunities to develop thinking, creativity and leadership skills, with many American entrepreneurs now conducting business on a global scale and literally changing the world.”

Eskildsen agreed. “Part of my mission as Vice President is to cooperate with MEXT in making university education more flexible to make it easier to tap into the possibilities of innovation. However, Japanese corporations are not flexible enough to embrace innovation, they lack the structure. What we see in the U.S. and Europe is destructive innovation, which tears things apart to create something new. This may be quite difficult and frightening for a lot of Japanese. To change the situation, we need reforms in university education. Universities need to nurture confidence in students to embrace the fear of the future, look at what happened in the past and what is happening now, and imagine ways of reordering society and their lives.”

The Covid-19 pandemic made way for disruptors around the world. As university administrators during this crisis, both Eskildsen and Wilson worked on various reforms such as shifting to online courses, adopting the telework approach, and compiling a business continuity plan. They had their share of growing pains, but Wilson said, “It takes difficult times to be flexible and make changes work.”