Social collaboration project that brings out student independence

　Professor Fukasawa: Things that were thought to be at the cutting edge of their time are quickly replaced by new things. As society changes at an accelerating pace, a high level of information sensitivity and a wide perspective and perspective are essential.

　As its name suggests, Jissen Women's University's mission is to develop human resources who can independently practice and send them out into society, and to this end, we have provided a variety of opportunities, not just classes. However, in the future, we believe that there will be an even greater need to connect learning and society and increase the social experience of students. I feel that "changing" also means responding to the needs of the times.

　Among the social collaboration initiatives undertaken by our university, a distinctive feature is a subject called ``Practical Project A,'' which is positioned as a first-year education subject. Assignments will be presented from two companies in one class.

　About two weeks ago, newly admitted students who were still in high school were working on assignments with classmates from different undergraduate departments. The assignments are by no means intended for university students, but rather the instructors from companies will come up with themes that they consider to be issues in their daily work. Of course, there is no absolute correct answer. Students thoroughly research the assignments they are given and come up with proposals, but they are sent back over and over again, and each time they are at a loss. When presented with the task of thinking about new employee training for a certain company, students tend to fall into the "how," or methodology, and end up concentrating on creating a menu of training plans. Each time, the person in charge asked me, essentially, why is this necessary? In other words, repeatedly being asked why. I think it is a difficult undertaking for the students, but the growth of the students who have taken this class has been truly remarkable.

　This is not limited to academic results, but also encourages students to actively participate in and challenge various extracurricular activities. Looking at such behavior, as the saying goes, "Strike while the iron is hot," by experiencing social cooperation classes from the first year, students can independently broaden their horizons toward society. Acquire thinking and action skills. Learning means putting what you learned in class into practice in society, experiencing the challenges, and learning again on campus. I feel that through this repetition of input and output, things deepen.

　In addition, in the extracurricular activity I am in charge of called "Practical Well-Being Project (JWP)," I am working on "Well-Being," which is included in the SDGs "Good Health and Well-Being." We are also collaborating with various companies on the theme of "Being" (living better).

　Recently, in collaboration with the magazine "SALUS Well-being" published by Tokyu Corporation, we held an "intergenerational workshop to talk about well-being in the era of 100-year lifespans" with three generations at the Shibuya campus. did. Through dialogue that transcended generations, the event was a great opportunity for both the students and the parents and grandparents who participated in the event to learn many things. Considering well-being is a very important theme in order to live a better life as our lives continue to grow longer, but it also leads to thinking about our connections with society. Although it is a voluntary community that is not forced in any way, the number of students who sympathized with the program, which can only be experienced at JWP, transcended the barriers of undergraduate and academic years and grew to a size of 50 students.

What the Social Cooperation Promotion Office aims for

　At Jissen Women's University, we are launching and developing various projects not only at the Shibuya campus but also at the Hino campus.

　Under the direction of Professor Yukiko Suga of the Department of Modern Life Studies in the Faculty of Life Science, this community and lifestyle culture seminar tackles the issues of a self-reliant community. In 2015, after participating in the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, which is held in the vast countryside of Echigo-Tsumari in Niigata Prefecture, I decided to visit Fukawa, a hilly and mountainous area that is experiencing significant depopulation, aging, and population decline. (Matsunoyama Fukawa district, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture). We received a letter of appreciation for promoting collaboration and cooperation with a variety of actors in the rice terrace area and contributing to the promotion of the rice terrace area.

　In March 2023, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries designated 271 rice terraces across the country as a "Connecting Rice Terrace Heritage" in order to revitalize rice terrace areas and promote understanding of the multifaceted functions of rice terraces. Furthermore, with the aim of promoting collaboration and cooperation with a variety of actors in the rice terrace area, the ``Tsunagu Rice Terrace Heritage'' Certificate of Appreciation initiative recognizes companies, universities, etc. that have contributed to the promotion of the rice terrace area.

　In the future, the Social Collaboration Promotion Office will combine the unique characteristics of the urban Shibuya campus and the Hino campus, which has deep connections with the local community, and collaborate learning across undergraduate departments while expanding and enriching the content. I would like to make it into something and provide it to students. The ultimate goal is for all students at our university to be involved in multifaceted initiatives, from collaboration on a frame-by-frame basis to medium- and long-term research through comprehensive collaboration agreements between universities.

　I have always told students that the value of a university is determined by its graduates. Now, 125 years after its founding, we are revisiting the basics and what was Professor Utako Shimoda's goal in founding Jissen Women's University? She conveys her feelings to students through her university-wide initiatives, puts them into practice in society, and returns to her alma mater to give back. By creating such a cycle, I hope to help students feel even more proud of studying at Jissen Women's University.

*Includes cases before the establishment of the Social Cooperation Promotion Office