Prof. Yaguchi introduced the subject at the beginning of each lecture.
WSC Members Fund Endowed Course
‘Diversity and Gender Equality’ (GEC University-wide Open Courses) course inaugurated
This is a newly established course that, thanks to the support of the WSC, offers students the opportunity to learn about diversity and the promotion of gender equality. In order to invite many guests who are working members of society, the course was held during the 6th period on Friday. At every session, close to 100 students participated actively and sometimes the lectures would go beyond the fixed time due to the enthusiastic Q&A sessions that ensued.
A special feature of this course was that 19 lawyers, certified public accountants, doctors, legislators, and entrepreneurs (including 13 alumni) who play an active role in various government agencies, companies, and incorporated associations appeared to share their expertise. Under the theme of ‘diversity promoting gender equality,’ they shared their personal experiences about how government agencies and companies tackle this issue and those that lie behind it.
One of the guest speakers described diversity as ‘one of the risk management tasks for companies. It is becoming clearer than ever that we have reached an era in which an institution cannot sustain itself unless various people get together, discuss, and share their wisdom.’ However difficult it may be, the message that ‘this is also an opportunity for our younger generations to make the most of their originality and embrace their chance to succeed’ resonated with our students.
We are preparing to continue this course next year. In light of this year’s experience, we will explore methods of improving the lectures, such as providing students with opportunities to gain insights on their own and limiting the problems under discussion. We plan to offer on-demand streaming of the lectures and prepare a booklet outlining its accomplishments.
Tetsuya Yaguchi
Director, Waseda University Office for Promotion of Gender Equality
Professor, Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences
| 2015 Sessions | |
|---|---|
| Session 1 | Introduction: Waseda University and studying the promotion of gender equality |
| Session 2 | The current situation of diversity: promoting gender equality policies |
| Session 3 | Promoting gender equality in the fields of science and technology |
| Session 4 | From the viewpoint of entrepreneurship and agribusiness |
| Session 5 | Understanding the promotion of gender equality in the context of the legislative system |
| Session 6 | Change in corporations and recruitment |
| Session 7 | The role of education: Learning for the purposes of empowerment |
| Session 8 | Work-life-social balance |
| Session 9 | Learning from role models (1) |
| Session 10 | Learning from role models (2) |
| Session 11 | Learning from role models (3) |
| Session 12 | Open lecture ‘Looking at working, thinking about living, believing in community’ |
| Session 13 | Learning in university in the age of globalization and diversity |
| Session 14 | Diversity in universities |
| Session 15 | Conclusion: The promotion of gender equality in the recovery after the Great East Japan Earthquake (workshop) |
▲In session 15, we undertook group-work addressing the subject of ‘Diversity: mechanisms and work styles to realize gender equality.’.
（by SANKAKU NEWS No.14）
