Waseda University

Waseda University aims to avoid an overemphasis on education that is focused solely on specialization for the sake of being at the global forefront of existing specialist areas and to instead develop a flexible educational system and university-wide organization that, in addition to providing fundamental educational skills, cultivates global leaders who will pioneer a new era around the world through specialization enhanced by internationality.

For graduates of Waseda University to contribute as global leaders to the achievement of a prosperous human society, they need to cultivate true liberal arts skills that make the most of their expertise while at university. Rather than simply offering a list of general education subjects, our liberal arts education program offers a set of courses that integrate minor subjects that are common to the entire university—including basic education, foreign languages, and experience-based courses (e.g., study abroad and volunteer activities)—with the specialized courses provided by each department.

Basic education consists of the following types of subjects: (1) university-wide basic education subjects that provide students with the communication skills and IT skills that they will find essential for studying a major and working in society as these skills allow students to be able to think and communicate their thoughts logically; and (2) university-wide common education subjects that teach students about the results of previous studies conducted in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences and provide them with the opportunity to consider the significance of academic fields beyond the specialization of each faculty. To provide our students with opportunities to cultivate ideas, which provide the source of the profound insights that they will require to leverage their specialties, we will continue to offer these fundamental education programs and the foreign language education programs conducted by institutions such as the Global Education Center and to connect these programs appropriately with specialized education programs. In addition to promoting cross-cultural exchanges and sports, the university will nurture students to become global leaders with extensive knowledge and multifaceted perspectives through the provision of practical, experience-based subjects, such as international education programs, study-abroad programs, and volunteer work. We will also enhance our education programs for working adults who aspire to become global leaders based on their experience in society and to increase the opportunities for them to return to university to study at any time.

To achieve this type of educational system, we will enrich the university’s educational programs and improve its educational environment, thereby making the system more flexible and enabling system reforms (including the restructuring of faculties) to be conducted as necessary.

1. With the goal of establishing a common system that provides a university-wide liberal arts education, work toward restructuring our educational organization—including collaboration between faculties and the Open Education Center—and, if necessary, restructuring our faculties.
2. Introduce and effectively operate the quarter system in our undergraduate and graduate schools.
3. Develop a system that will provide all students with opportunities to study abroad, including overseas fieldwork and international volunteer work.
4. Establish a strategic, cross-campus educational program to provide quality education for a select number of highly qualified students with the aim of cultivating the next generation of leaders who will address global issues.
5. Develop rubrics and other sample assessment metrics for each academic field to clarify the criteria for assessing capabilities such as thinking, judgment, and skills.
6. Structure a curriculum with a course numbering system for common subjects and other courses.
7. Promote the “Joint Degree Program” in collaboration with overseas offices and partner universities to expand Waseda’s unique education worldwide.
8. Enhance education for working adults and provide education and lifelong education for the business and government sectors, both in Japan and abroad.
   In particular, we will make use of intellectual resources and social networks that transcend the boundaries of faculties to meet individual needs.

• Project to Reform the Education System
• Project to Improve Human Competence
• Project to Reform Scholarship Programs
• Project to Promote Study Abroad
• Project to Promote International Student Admissions
• Project to Reform the Education Regime
• Project to Promote University Extension and Life-Long Learning