2. What changes in the social and university environment have asked about undergraduate and graduate student learning

The changes in society and the university environment described in the previous section directly raise questions not only about university systems and administration, but also about the very content of learning and the attitudes toward learning of each undergraduate and graduate student. University study has become an important period for building the foundation for a career in a rapidly changing society.

The first question being raised is not just “what to learn,” but also “how to learn.” As societal changes accelerate, many of the challenges students face after graduation can no longer be solved simply by applying the knowledge they acquired during their studies. Rather, in situations where problems themselves are not clearly defined, the ability to identify and formulate questions on their own, discern and select the knowledge and information required, and move forward through repeated trial and error has become more important than ever. These social demands are the reason why learning methods such as group work, project-based learning, practical training, and fieldwork are emphasized.

In particular, assuming a division between the humanities and sciences and confining learning solely within one’s own area of specialization will become increasingly difficult. As AI and data science are utilized across society, students learning in the humanities field are also expected to have a basic understanding of mathematics and information, while students in the science field likewise require an understanding of people, society, ethics, institutions, and culture. For undergraduate and graduate students, it is becoming increasingly important to adopt a learning approach that allows them to deepen their expertise while remaining open to knowledge and methodologies from other fields, thereby reframing the questions themselves.

Second, undergraduate and graduate students are now expected to view learning from the dual perspectives of “personal growth” and their “relationship with society.” University study is a process of deepening one’s expertise and cultivating one’s interests and strengths, while also providing opportunities to consider what kinds of social challenges and values that learning is connected to. In addition to deepening academic inquiry, the experience of conducting research and analysis increasingly entails considering how those questions and findings can be utilized within society. Perspectives such as “How does this research relate to specific challenges faced by whom?” and “How should the findings be communicated?” are increasingly being recognized in the process of learning and research.

Third, another important change is that the settings in which learning takes place are no longer confined to university classrooms. In addition to regular classes, the diverse experiences that extend both on and off campus, such as extracurricular activities, community and corporate collaboration projects, international exchange activities, volunteer activities, and entrepreneurship and social practice, shape the learning of undergraduate and graduate students. These experiences are not merely a “list of activities,” but also serve to enhance the quality of learning itself by providing opportunities to think and act in collaboration with others and to reexamine one’s own values. Universities are expected to create environments that support students in giving meaning to these diverse learning experiences, reflecting on them, and building on them in the future.

Learning at university should not be viewed as a one-way process of applying knowledge acquired in the classroom to society. Rather, it also be seen as a reciprocal activity in which new questions are found in the contact with societal issues and those questions are brought back to study and research. Cross-disciplinary education and the consideration of double majors have the potential to provide institutional support for this broadening of learning. For undergraduate and graduate students, gaining experience in reexamining challenges from multiple perspectives, while remaining grounded in their own fields of specialization, and connecting with different fields and real-world settings is a key factor in enhancing the quality of their future learning.

For graduate students, in addition to deepening their expertise through research, it has become more important than ever to consider how their research outcomes can be connected to society and what roles they should fulfill as researchers or highly specialized professionals. While respecting the freedom and autonomy of research, adopting an attitude that considers the potential significance and value of research within society is closely linked to future career choices and professional development.

In this way, changes in society and the university environment have highlighted the importance of students not only acquiring knowledge, but also identifying and formulating their questions on their own, structuring their own learning, and reflecting on the meaning of that learning within the context of relationships with society. At the same time, questions are also being raised regarding how universities should support such forms of learning and how they should be linked to students’ own initiative. Learning at a university is no longer simply about efficiently acquiring predefined answers; it is increasingly becoming a process of shaping one’s own questions and direction, one that involves uncertainty and trial and error.

It is also important to be aware of the values and ways of thinking that you rely on to think and act in your learning. The Ritsumeikan Charter, as amended at the end of AY 2025, is a guideline for the overall philosophy and direction of the academy for the future, and is the foundation for thinking about what the university values and where it will go. It is not enough to be stated as a philosophy, but it must be referenced repeatedly in daily learning, dialogue, and student life, and to have its meaning widely shared, leading to one’s own actions and practices.

Therefore, it is important for undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff to think together about the nature of learning and growth and the enhancement of the research environment, and to share those understandings. In addition to improving its current initiatives, the university seeks to achieve these goals through implementing initiatives in the second half aimed at realizing the objectives set forth in R2030 Challenge Design, including becoming a next-generation research university and fostering creative individuals, as well as through discussions aimed at concretizing those goals. As part of this process, the AY 2026 Plenary Council occupies an important position.