--- description: Learning Lessons for the Future title: Global Kigyo - TIME - Partner Content - Learning Lessons for the Future image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc1604f63c86a5a2a/6a45c93f5fed0225f3a47d2a/Kumamoto_Univ_pic_for_online_article_(1).jpeg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- # Learning Lessons for the Future  In many major economies today, education sits at a crossroads. The breakneck speed of advancing technologies such as AI and automation is changing the way the world does business—and universities are having to evolve with it. As a nation that takes great pride in its education record, Japan’s leading academics need to balance such new ideas with the traditions that have brought generations of success in the first place. Naoshi Sugiyama, president of Nagoya University, is working to help students prepare for a technology and globally minded future. “My goal is for our university to cultivate courageous intellectuals who receive not only a strong education, but also the confidence and adaptability to challenge themselves anywhere in society, and anywhere in the world,” said Sugiyama. “This AI shift has been very sudden and quick. Japan’s education system, which has traditionally been quite conservative, now needs to catch up. Nagoya University has made data science courses compulsory for all first-year students,” he added. According to Hiroo Fukuda, president of Akira Prefectural University, AI technologies will be of massive help in mitigating Japan’s aging demographic and shrinking workforce. “Population decrease and aging are placing new pressures on productivity and innovation, while the rapid rise of generative AI is dramatically reshaping expectations for the future workforce. Japanese higher education stands at a turning point,” said Fukuda. “Universities must adopt more innovative approaches to prepare for the future. We aim to revitalize Japan starting from regional universities by generating new knowledge through deep engagement with local challenges and disseminating it to the world,” he added.  _Credit: Hosei University_ According to Hosei University President Diana Khor, it’s vital that institutions support both the learning principles of the student and the benefit to the wider community “The responsibility of a university, first and foremost, is to educate. And to educate means helping students become conscientious citizens who can make ethical decisions and use their knowledge wisely,” Khor said. “Students need to learn how to use AI to enhance their learning. At the same time, they also need to be reminded that AI is not all-powerful. It is the student who gives the command, and the learning still has to be done by the individual,” she added. Shibaura Institute of Technology President Jun Yamada is a firm believer in teaching AI skills backed by a solid all-round education. “I believe it will be essential for their success in the future. That reflects both my personal view and the university’s stance on AI. However, the quality of AI’s output depends entirely on how it is used,” said Yamada. “In order to maximize its potential, users need a strong foundation of basic knowledge and critical thinking skills, so a solid education is essential for students to fully benefit from AI,” he added. Sagami Women’s University President Masahide Tabata agreed that implementing tech in studies is crucial for modern education. “Universities must embrace these technologies to enhance both quality and efficiency. Digital tools make it possible to achieve things previously out of reach, for example, tailoring education to individual needs and developing new curricula through DX (digital transformation),” said Tabata. “But as technology advances, it also becomes vital to redefine and elevate distinctly human abilities. Creativity, empathy, ethical judgment, and collaboration will only grow in importance, and the challenge lies in finding the right balance between human and technological strengths,” he added. As next-generation technology looks set to play an even greater role, many institutions have established strong links with industry to attract students.  _Credit: Kumamoto University_ For Kumamoto University, the 2021 announcement of the TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.) semiconductor project in the region has been of great benefit in this regard. “Our biggest focus has been training and developing skilled people. Once TSMC came, the demand for talent increased dramatically, and we immediately began thinking about how to prepare our students to contribute,” said President Ogawa Hisao. “By 2022 we launched a semiconductor research center. In 2023, we created the Semiconductor Digital Educational Organization. In 2024, we opened a new School of Informatics and introduced the Semiconductor Digital Engineering Course, the only one of its kind at a national university in Japan,” he added. Osaka Jogakuin University's founding philosophy remains as relevant today as it was more than 140 years ago, according to President Eiko Kato-Otani."The founding American missionaries believed that women should play an active role in society, and that became the founding principle of our school," she said. "That is the origin of our school's foundation, and it continues to be passed on to the next generation," she added. 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