Promotion of Asia Joint Degree Development Project

　　In the Graduate School of Education Tohoku University we have adopted the development research of “Joint-degree Program for International Education Leaders” (special expenses project) (2011～2015) and are working eagerly on establishing this program (proposed name: AJP (Asia Joint-degree Project)).
　　The goal of this project is to apply the research on international education leader training to raise leaders with international perspective who would be able to challenge to Eastern Asia’s educational problems through development of an international collaborating joint degree program with high quality. Concentrating specifically on Eastern Asia, we are attempting to raise (1)Education researchers able to accurately analyze current problems of education, (2)Faculty leaders able to recognize the educational problems and carry out their responsibilities for education in practice, (3)Educational administration officials able to incorporate educational reforms from all around the world in their perspective when making new policies.
　　We have proposed the name of “KASP” for the four core values expected from international education leaders: (1)High level specialized Knowledge, (2)Empathic Attitude and understanding of Eastern Asia, (3)Acquisition of educational research Skills and Eastern Asian languages and (4)Ability to form an international human network and manage information (Practice).
　　To achieve these goals during this five years project, for the first three years we will (1)hold joint seminars of both native and foreign educators for expertise improvement, (2)dispatch/accept educators and students from leading Eastern Asian universities through international exchange programs, (3)continue the development research on the joint degree program. For the last two years (2014 – 2015) we plan to put the actual joint degree program to practice.
　　We will hold on “Intensive Seminar” in July. And we are holding lectures on “Children of Asia” and “Schools in Asia” (2 credits each) as a “summer course” on the end of August to further the joint degree program development. We plan to conduct experimental implementation of new curriculum through international exchanges between educators and students from China, South Korea and Taiwan universities. With the cooperation from various universities from China, South Korea and Taiwan we are expecting to have the final draft of the curriculum ready by the end of the year.
　　This is not the type of project that could be carried out just by our graduate school. Cooperation from foreign universities, information exchange between national universities and support from all departments on campus – are all needed for its realization. We are working on both achieving our current goal through cooperation and support from various sources as well as creating the foundation on which our work would continue to expand even after the completion of the actual project.
　　National or foreign, members of our university or not – everyone thank you for your cooperation and support.

Project Director   Yoshikazu OGAWA