Office for Promotion of Equality and Diversity早稲田大学 ダイバーシティ推進室

The symposium was organized as an opportunity to reflect on the University’s initiatives to date and consider the future of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in higher education. Speakers from a wide range of backgrounds, both within and outside the University, came together for a lively discussion on the direction Waseda should take over the next decade.

The symposium began with a video message from Aiji Tanaka, President of Waseda University. President Tanaka explained that the symposium was b

eing held as part of Waseda University’s 150th Anniversary Project (Global Citizenship Project), and expressed his hope that the event would also provide an opportunity to take a new step forward toward the University’s next 150 years.

Toward a University Where Different Experiences Resonate: Rethinking What We Consider “Normal” and the Future of Diversity

Speaker: Rina Komiya

One important perspective in promoting diversity concerns the concept of what is considered “normal.” We often judge things unconsciously based on our own assumptions about what is normal. It is therefore important to ask who established those standards and how they came to be accepted.

Diversity is not simply about bringing together people with different characteristics and backgrounds. It means recognizing from the outset that people have different experiences and perspectives, and reexamining the standards and systems that we have taken for granted as “normal.”

Traveling long distances geographically, what might be called a “horizontal journey,” does not necessarily free us from our assumptions or our own ideas of what is normal. What we need instead is a “vertical journey,” one that allows us, while remaining within the same society, to encounter the worlds of people who live under circumstances, in positions, and with realities different from our own.

Inclusion also means more than simply inviting people on the margins into an existing center. Societies and organizations have values and standards that have unconsciously come to be regarded as self-evident. These form what we might call the “center.”

If that center is based on the experiences and perspectives of particular groups, however, it is not enough simply to add people who have been marginalized. Instead, we need to reconsider who occupies the center and whose voices are treated as the norm. We must reshape the center itself by incorporating the experiences and perspectives of diverse people.

Rather than gradually inviting people from the margins into the center, I hope Waseda will become a university that transforms the center itself. I believe that Waseda University possesses both the critical thinking and the spirit of freedom needed to accomplish this.

Toward a Future Where Diversity Resonates: Innovation Starting at Waseda

Speaker: Junichi Kawai

Based on my experience in the field of sports policy, I believe that promoting diversity in society is an essential part of creating an inclusive society. It is important for people with diverse backgrounds to understand one another’s differences and build society through continuing dialogue.

This process can sometimes require more time and resources. Yet it is precisely this process that creates new possibilities and becomes a driving force for greater creativity and vitality within organizations.

Another important perspective is the “social model” of disability, which views disability not as an issue arising from the individual, but as an issue created by society. Creating an environment in which everyone can realize their abilities by improving accessibility and providing reasonable accommodations is a responsibility shared by society as a whole.

When considering diversity, it is also important to be aware of the “homogeneity trap.” Organizations made up only of people with similar values and experiences may fail to incorporate diverse perspectives and overlook important insights. Organizations in which diverse people participate, on the other hand, tend to generate better results and greater innovation. These benefits do not necessarily emerge in the short term, however, and diversity should therefore be viewed as a long-term investment.

Changes to Japan’s Basic Act on Sport also demonstrate the expanding scope of inclusion. The Deaflympics and Special Olympics are now explicitly recognized within the legal framework, and sport is increasingly seen as contributing not only to athletic competition but also to the support of people with disabilities and the resolution of broader social issues.

Diversity is “being invited to the dance,” while inclusion is “being asked to dance.” Simply bringing together diverse people is not enough. True inclusion requires an environment in which everyone can participate, supported by reasonable accommodations, accessibility, and the perspective of equity.

Achieving the health and well-being of every student, faculty member, and staff member, as set out in Waseda Vision 150, also contributes to the advancement of education and research. Inclusion is not an end in itself, but a means of creating a better society and generating innovation. An environment with psychological safety, where people from different backgrounds and with different values can freely exchange ideas, provides the foundation for new ideas and transformation.

The ideal inclusive society is not like a “mixed fruit juice,” but rather a “fruit punch.” Instead of blending away individual characteristics, we need a society in which people live together while retaining and making the most of their individual differences and strengths. Inclusion is also essential if we are to embody Waseda’s pioneering spirit. As a Waseda alumnus, I hope to work together with all of you to help create a vibrant society in which everyone can thrive.

Building on the keynote lectures in Part I, practitioners from within and outside the University discussed the current state and future of diversity promotion.

Facilitator:
Kyoko Ishida, Director, Office for Promotion of Equality and Diversity

Panelists:
Junichi Kawai
Rina Komiya
Chiharu Tokoro, former Director, Office for Promotion of Equality and Diversity
Takeshi Akiba, Director, Student Diversity Center

Chiharu Tokoro began by introducing herself and reflecting on the initiatives undertaken during her tenure as Director from 2018 to 2022. She highlighted various efforts that demonstrated the University’s commitment to diversity, including the introduction of a mentoring system, obtaining Kurumin Certification, and achieving Silver recognition under the PRIDE Index while working toward Gold recognition.

Next, Takeshi Akiba shared his hope that Waseda would be a university where every student has the opportunity to think about diversity, drawing on experiences from his own childhood. He introduced the four organizations that make up the Student Diversity Center: the Accessibility Resource Center (ARC), Intercultural Communication Center (ICC), Gender and Sexuality Center (GS Center), and Student Counseling Center (SCC). He also noted that the GS Center was established in response to a proposal from students.

As examples of recent initiatives, he introduced a Gender, Sexuality, DE&I Guidebook for Student Clubs and Extracurricular Activities, created under the leadership of GS Center student staff to help ensure that all students, including LGBTQ+ students, can participate in clubs and extracurricular activities with confidence. He also described how vegan options were introduced at campus cafeterias following a suggestion from a student who had participated in an ICC event. He emphasized the importance of supporting an environment in which students can better understand diversity on campus and respect one another.

Under Kyoko Ishida’s facilitation, the panelists, joined by keynote speakers Rina Komiya and Junichi Kawai, discussed how diversity should be promoted at Waseda University in the years ahead.

The first theme drew on Rina Komiya’s keynote observation that diversity initiatives often focus on “increasing the number of diverse people,” whereas what is really needed is to “resh　ape the center itself.” Kyoko Ishida asked what Waseda University would have to look like before we could truly say that it had changed.

Rina Komiya responded that, paradoxically, she would consider it a success if the Office for Promotion of Equality and Diversity no longer existed in 10 years. Ideally, diversity promotion, which is currently led by a specialized office, would eventually become a natural part of the everyday work of every department, making a dedicated organization unnecessary. She also stressed that in an era that often prioritizes efficiency in terms of time and cost, universities should instead cultivate a culture that values thoughtful dialogue and consensus-building, involving people from diverse backgrounds in the discussion.

Takeshi Akiba emphasized the importance of enabling students who will become future leaders in a wide range of fields to develop the ability to put diversity and inclusion into practice naturally. He also noted that in supporting students with disabilities, there is no single “right answer.” Instead, the individuals concerned, faculty members, and staff must engage in dialogue to build consensus. Continuous dialogue, he stressed, is essential to achieving inclusion.

Chiharu Tokoro reflected that the discussion has progressed from a stage in which people were still developing an understanding of the very concept of diversity to one in which diversity is being harnessed to advance well-being and create a better society. She emphasized the importance of continuing to engage in dialogue with people whose values and backgrounds differ from our own.

Junichi Kawai expressed agreement with Rina Komiya and noted similarities between disability policy and gender-related initiatives in both the structures of the challenges they address and their historical development. Referring to the work of Yutaka Nakamura, often described as the “father of the Paralympics” in Japan, he explained that the ultimate goal of diversity promotion is to create a society and organizations in which diverse people can thrive naturally, even without special measures or dedicated organizations. This idea of ultimately making such special structures unnecessary, he said, closely parallels Rina Komiya’s vision of success as a future in which the Office for Promotion of Equality and Diversity itself is no longer needed.

Closing Remarks

In her closing remarks, Hatsue Shinohara, Executive Vice President responsible for diversity promotion, reflected that the symposium had offered many valuable insights into the question of what universities should aspire to become and how they should advance diversity and inclusion. She first referred to the unconscious biases and discrimination that can exist in everyday situations, as discussed in the keynote lectures, as well as Junichi Kawai’s message, “Dance Together and Be Happy.”

She explained that inclusion is not simply about inviting diverse people to join, but about creating an environment in which everyone can participate and engage together. In this sense, she expressed her hope that Waseda University would become like a “large dance floor” where diverse people can dance together.

Reflecting on the challenges and proposals shared throughout the symposium, she emphasized that diversity promotion does not produce visible results overnight. Rather, it requires sustained effort over time, making it essential to build progress patiently, one initiative at a time.

Hatsue Shinohara also referred to the design of the commemorative leaflet distributed to participants. The colored pencils depicted on its back cover convey the idea that, unlike paints that blend together into a single color, diversity is about people coexisting while each retains their own distinctive color.

She concluded by thanking the speakers and everyone involved in organizing the symposium, while expressing her hope that Waseda University will continue moving forward with respect for diversity and remain a university where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.