#Japan #Student Engagement #Okayama #Okayama University #Momotaro Forum

Okayama University's Momotaro Forum 2025

On September 29, 2025, Okayama University hosted the 28th edition of its Momotaro Forum at the Tsushima Campus. Under the theme "Creating a Campus for Student Thought," approximately 100 participants attended, bringing together both internal and external stakeholders in education. This edition focused specifically on promoting critical thinking among students, a key component of modern education.

The forum commenced with opening remarks by the Vice President for Educational Affairs, Makoto Sugano, followed by a guest address from Masafumi Ishikawa, Director of the Higher Education Bureau of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT). Their speeches set a collaborative tone for the discussions ahead.

Subsequently, Vice President Gaku Tanaka introduced a framework for enhancing student thought processes. He emphasized a sequential approach of "Feeling, Thinking, and Contemplating," alongside axes such as "Individual vs. Collective Thinking" and "Creative Dialogue vs. Knowledge Transmission." This framework aims to bridge classroom and extracurricular activities, highlighting the importance of holistic learning experiences.

One of the key presentations was delivered by Shinjiro Ogawa, an educational director from Waseda University's Senior High School. He shared insights on inquiry programs and their effectiveness in boosting student motivation. Drawing from his extensive experience in physics education, he articulated strategies to support independent student activities and outlined successful case studies from his institution.

Professors Toshiro Koyama and Shuichiro Tao from the Graduate School of Medical Science presented their new inquiry course, "Exploration of Knowledge," set to debut in 2025. They discussed the development process of this interdisciplinary course, which encourages collaboration among students from different faculties, facilitating diverse interactions between students and faculty members. Their insights included results gathered from student surveys, projecting the future of this innovative educational approach.

The forum also featured a report on the Graduate School's international training program, OU-TACT, presented by graduate student Nozomi Mori. She highlighted her experiences with leading Taiwanese companies and research facilities, showcasing how these insights would shape her future research endeavors.

In a compelling segment on learning commons, Professor Chiaki Iwasaki from Kansai University shared designs for student learning environments. Her examples demonstrated how these spaces support both academic and extracurricular thinking, guiding future design principles for learning environments to foster student collaboration.

The event included a dynamic panel discussion moderated by Associate Professor Takashi Waga, featuring participants debating the complexities of individual and team dynamics in inquiry settings. They tackled vital questions like how to balance personal interests with collective goals and the implications of collaborative learning strategies.

Attendee feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with over 90% expressing satisfaction with the forum's content and practical examples. Participants recognized the value of diverse student interactions in generating new knowledge, with comments underscoring the significance of learning from varied case studies. The event concluded with closing remarks from Yuka Mimura, emphasizing the success and collaborative spirit of the forum.

This year's Momotaro Forum strengthened Okayama University's commitment to developing educational practices that empower students to think independently and work collaboratively. As part of its mission, Okayama University continues to enhance its role as a significant research university that supports sustainable development goals (SDGs) and fosters innovation in education.

For more information about the Momotaro Forum 2025 and related educational initiatives at Okayama University, visit their official website: Okayama University.