Transformation and Expansion of Liberal Education in Japanese Universities : With the Activities of the Japan Association for College and University Education

Abstract

The generalization of the Standards for the Establishment of Universities in 1991 was an important turning point in transformation process for general education of Japanese Universities. Following the 1991 introduction of the general standards for the establishment of universities and the 2012 qualitative shift in university education (especially the spread of active learning), Japanese university education is currently facing the third wave of the education that integrates humanities and sciences, and STEAM education. As this approach to human resource development is about to undergo a major shift, Japanese opinion leaders have presented the basic liberal arts in the new era. The Liberal and General Education Society of Japan, founded in 1979, changed its name to the current Japan Association for College and University Education in 1997. It has been active for more than 40 years while increasing its membership. The Association’s history has been influenced by major changes in Japanese university education since the 1990s. As good examples of undergraduate and graduate education reforms emphasizing Liberal Education, Kanazawa University has been reforming its educational system based on the concept of interdisciplinary integration and collaboration among different fields. The key point of Kanazawa University’s efforts to reorganize the curriculum for liberal and common education is that, in undergraduate courses, opportunities to cultivate a broad range of cultures and diverse perspectives has been established in the liberal arts and common education courses to develop the learning strength for specialized education. Liberal education is an important theme related to the raison d’etre of the university. In this borderless era, we believe that it is time to objectively look at the current state of liberal education in our countries and improve it through further enhancing comparative research in South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan on the theme of liberal education.