5. CONTEXT LEADING UP THE AY 2026 PLENARY COUNCIL

The AY 2026 Plenary Council builds on the discussions with undergraduate and graduate students and initiatives undertaken since AY 2022, and serves as a milestone forum for confirming the progress achieved across the University and identifying issues that should remain under examination going forward.

At this stage, the point is not to unilaterally present the University’s approach or policy direction. Rather, it is important to reaffirm—together with undergraduate and graduate students—the shared achievements and issues that remain under discussion, based on the Student Union’s Academy co-creation activities and the Graduate Student Council’s efforts to gather feedback from graduate students and propose improvements, as well as other issues shared through five-party discussion meetings, discussions focused on specific topics, campus discussion meetings, and other forums.

In addition, enhancing the substantive quality of Academy co-creation requires more than simply providing opportunities for dialogue. It is also necessary to show how the matters discussed have been organized, how they have influenced policies and improvements, and what challenges remain to be addressed. The AY 2026 Plenary Council is an opportunity for the University as a whole to reaffirm this process of dialogue and collaboration for reflection in improvements and reforms in education, research, student life, student-led extracurricular activities, and other areas during the latter half of the R2030 period.

This chapter outlined the process of dialogue and collaboration with undergraduate and graduate students that has been ongoing since AY 2022, the Student Union’s Academy co-creation activities, the Graduate Student Council’s efforts to consolidate feedback from graduate students and propose improvements, and the University’s approach to Academy co-creation in response to these initiatives.

Next, Chapter 3 reviews the major initiatives undertaken by Ritsumeikan University from AY 2022 through AY 2025, including those that have taken shape through this ongoing process of dialogue and collaboration. In addition, Chapter 4 presents issues requiring further discussion with undergraduate and graduate students as the University enters the latter half of the R2030 period. These are provided as topics to be addressed through ongoing dialogue with undergraduate and graduate students, in line with the concept of Academy co-creation, to identify the challenges faced and consider the specifics of implementation.