Starting in August 2026, Kansai University will launch "Next Journey Academy," a practical recurrent education (reskilling) program for people aged 50 and over, at its Umeda Campus (Kita-ku, Osaka). The program is co-sponsored by "Koko ni Aru," an organization promoting community development that fosters mutual support among people in Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture.
Amidst a declining birthrate, an aging population, and ongoing work-style reforms, an increasing number of middle-aged and older adults are exploring ways to live after retirement and how to remain involved with society. However, most retraining courses for working adults focus on acquiring skills and qualifications, and are largely geared towards younger generations.
Therefore, this course will be limited to those aged 50 and over, and will not merely be about acquiring knowledge, but will also be a place to think from multiple perspectives with faculty members from Kansai University, while being exposed to diverse values and life experiences, and dealing with a variety of themes such as work styles, involvement with local communities, and connections with people.
In the trial program conducted in January and February 2026, participants commented that they were "looking forward to the rest of their lives," "the conversations with other participants were a new source of inspiration," and "it gave them the impetus to take a new step," indicating that interaction and dialogue among participants contributed to a high level of satisfaction.
According to Kansai University, the course will consist of 12 sessions from August 9th to December 19th. The lecturers will be Professors Naohiko Mimura, Futoshi Taga, and Masashi Kushizaki from the Faculty of Letters, Professors Hiroki Komuro and Haruhiko Murakawa from the Faculty of Human Health, and Professor Emeritus Kayoko Hazama. The course has a capacity of 25 students. The tuition fee is 200,000 yen (tax included), with early bird and referral discounts available. The first application deadline is July 5th (Sunday), and if the capacity is not reached, a second application deadline will be set for July 26th (Sunday) for additional applications.
<Pre-briefing session (free)>
[Part 2] A mini-lecture by Shin Kusunoki, author of "After Retirement"
Date and Time: June 9th (Tue) 19:00-20:30
Venue: Kansai University Umeda Campus, 4th Floor
Guest: Shin Kusunoki (author of "After Retirement," etc.)
[3th]
Date and time: 6/14 (Sun) 10: 00-11: 30
Venue: Kansai University Umeda Campus, 4th Floor
