The discussions at this Plenary Council are a starting point, not a goal, in the university’s future development: an important milestone toward realization of the R2030 Challenge Design. Based on the discussion meetings and other prior forums for exchange between the University, the Student Union, and the Graduate Student Council, the Plenary Council’s open session discussed the topics shown below in particular. This involved exchanging opinions with students on questions such as how to position each topic in the context of initiatives under R2030 Challenge Design, and the status of discussions on the topic to date and points for future discussion, thus enabling the parties to deepen their understanding of the university’s direction going forward. This chapter summarizes these discussions.

Major Discussion Topics Tabled by the Student Union

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  How to conduct English language education not simply to equip students with English language proficiency, but also to enable them to gain confidence through a tangible sense of growth.
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  Prospects for the pursuit of Digital Transformation (DX) in academic affairs, taking into account the utilization of ICT tools during the COVID-19 pandemic and the degree of progress made thus far on the development of educational environment, while clearly distinguishing future DX initiatives from the “emergency” measures adopted as part of the pandemic response.
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  Prospects for the development of learning and careers, particularly in the undergraduate programs, toward the realization of the R2030 Challenge Design goal of a “next-generation research university.”

Main Discussion Topics Tabled by the Graduate Student Council

The Graduate Student Council demanded ongoing discussion of language learning courses, including the uptake of the goFLUENT program initiated by the University in AY2022, with a view to promoting research activities by graduate students and young researchers in the context of globalization. On this basis, the Council tabled the following key points for discussion.

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  How to enrich the research environment, based on a renewed awareness of issues relating to the appropriate scale of and access to research facilities and equipment in the context of globalization—issues which have been discussed for some time, but whose nature and background have changed through the COVID-19 pandemic. (Especially issues such as information and communications infrastructure, usage hours, seating availability, etc.)
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  How to approach issues relating to graduate student career paths, given both the positive appraisals of the University’s recent initiatives (such as NEXT Student Fellowships and RARA Student Fellowships) and the goal of building attractive graduate school research environments with conditions that compare favorably to other universities. Priorities here include the establishment of more sophisticated research support and financial support programs, the relaxation eligibility conditions for existing programs, and the promotion of on-campus employment that is a source of both financial support and career experience for graduate students.

1．English Language Education and Globalization

（１）Undergraduate teaching and learning of the English language

The fact that the improvement of English language education and issues related thereto was adopted as a major point of discussion at this Plenary Council reflects the University and Student Union’s shared concern regarding the nature of university learning in light of the challenges of the era that lies ahead. This concern is framed by awareness of the need to develop students’ capacity to take initiative in a global context and collaborate with people with diverse value outlooks, in order to survive in an era where the future is uncertain and dramatic changes abound in areas such as globalization and rapid advancement of ICT. The University and Student Union are united in acknowledging that today, English language is an essential basic tool, and that it is no longer sufficient for university education to rely on the conventional framework of the “four skill areas”—reading, listening, writing, and speaking—and seek only to raise students’ proficiency in these areas.
The English proficiency levels and learning needs of students at Ritsumeikan University are diverse, ranging from students who have already achieved a degree of proficiency in the four skill areas mentioned above prior to admission, through to those who first need to acquire and improve foundational skills in the use of English. It is now possible for students to learn online as needed to acquire these foundational skills and in accordance with these diverse conditions. Some Colleges of the University also offer Project-based English Programs (PEPs). In relation to these PEPs, the Student Union raised the question of why practical English learning programs have only been adopted in four Colleges, and why they are not being considered for adoption in the other Colleges. It is true that there is not a great need to use English in some cases, depending on the nature of the College and academic discipline and the characteristics of the individual subjects offered. There are also cases where there is just as much, or more, emphasis placed on foreign languages other than English. On the other hand, English is a universal tool in the world of academia, and mastery of English is preferable for students in all academic disciplines. Taking a holistic view of English language education at Ritsumeikan University, which aims to become a “next-generation research university,” it is clear that students are looking to acquire and improve their proficiency in English as a practical and effective tool, and hoping that doing so will add depth and breadth to learning in their fields of specialization. The University accepts the Student Union’s position on this point and needs to work on formulating and implementing English language education for the future.
As has been discussed at the Plenary Council Representatives’ Meetings each year since the AY2019 Plenary Council, a considerable number of students are not gaining a tangible sense of progress in their English language learning, despite the fact that Ritsumeikan University students’ English language proficiency as a whole is improving in the sense that more students are attaining levels of B1 or higher in the CEFR, which provides a measure of practical English proficiency. One means of raising students’ tangible sense of learning is to provide inquiry-based English programs. In response to the Student Union’s calls for better English language education, the University declared an intention to enter into College-level consideration of the educational effects of inquiry-based English programs and concrete discussions, led by the Academic Affairs Division, regarding the provision of university-level support for Colleges to trial such programs. The University also resolved to investigate possibilities for using inquiry-based English programs as a bridge between English language education and major education, for example by introducing mandatory English language studies linked to students’ majors in third year and above. The University expressed its awareness of the challenges relating to this kind of linkage between English and major education, as well as the upgrading of academic guidelines to reflect not only appropriate class formats and sizes, but also the advancement of educational DX.

（２）Graduate students’ foreign language education and globalization

In the AY2019 Plenary Council and other forums, the Graduate Student Council has been highlighting the importance of English and other foreign language education. One of the challenges in language education is that English is now a common tool regardless of the academic discipline, and it will be essential for graduate students and young researchers to strengthen their capacity to communicate in English as globalization advances. In this context, there are also cases where a foreign language other than English is essential for a certain discipline or research topic, and even cases where such a language is the primary language used in research. Based on this understanding, and taking into account the Graduate Student Council’s demands, in AY2022 the University introduced goFLUENT, a tool for self-directed foreign language study. It is important as a starting point to provide all graduate students with learning environments and opportunities that are easily accessible to anybody, anytime. In individual cases where students wish to learn more, schemes such as the CLA foreign language course fee subsidy and online individual guidance for English-language thesis-writing can be combined in order to enable as many graduate students as possible to improve their proficiency in foreign languages. At this Plenary Council, the Graduate Student Council expressed its positive appraisal of the University’s initiatives in this area, while also calling for more discussion of ongoing improvements, informed by factors such as goFLUENT usage trends. The University declared that it would listen to feedback from graduate students as it works on improvements to enable more effective use.
In the area of 24-hour access to facilities in line with globalization, there are a variety of issues, including graduate student security, facilities management, and preservation of the local environment, which under current conditions are difficult to resolve on any of Ritsumeikan University’s campuses (with the exception of research labs at BKC). Meanwhile, in anticipation of involvement in academic conferences and research workshops online, the University is developing on-campus information and communications infrastructure as well as providing support for students to enhance the information and communications environment in their own homes and other locations (provision of low-cost communication services). The University confirmed that it would continue discussing these issues, including problems of seating and individual-use spaces, taking into account the Graduate Student Council’s calls for problems relating to the use of facilities, information infrastructure, seating and the like to be incorporated into a wider discussion of the extent to which research environments should be guaranteed by the University, and the need for the Graduate Student Council and University together to confirm a general direction with regard to these matters.
With regard to English language education and globalization, in the area of undergraduate English language teaching and learning the Colleges will explore the educational effects of inquiry-based English programs and the University will enter into concrete discussions, led by the Academic Affairs Division, regarding the provision of university-level support for Colleges to trial such programs. Moreover, the University will pursue improvements as necessary to enable more effective use of graduate student programs in foreign language education and globalization, in consultation with graduate students themselves. The University will also continue discussions in the area of facilities access in line with globalization, taking into account the Graduate Student Council’s calls for problems relating to the use of facilities, information infrastructure, seating and the like to be incorporated into a wider discussion of the extent to which research environments should be guaranteed by the University, and the need for the Graduate Student Council and University together to confirm a general direction with regard to these matters.

3．The R2030 Goal of a “Next-Generation Research University”

（１）The idea of “(inquiry-based learning in) a next-generation university”

Firstly, the university provided an explanation to all parties with the aim of building shared awareness and deeper understanding of the concept of “(inquiry-based learning in) a next-generation research university.” (*For more details regarding the “next-generation research university” concept and the “expansive re-coupling of education and research” designed to achieve it, please refer to “3. Concrete Initiatives under R2030 Challenge Design” in Chapter II of the RS Academy Report: Toward the AY 2022 Plenary Council.)
In this era of uncertainty, it is important to be capable of creating one’s own future. This requires a capacity for ongoing, autonomous learning, and opportunities to pursue further learning whenever necessary. In this context, “learning” does not mean learning with the aim of acquiring knowledge or deriving correct answers. It means learning by confronting and exploring irresolvable problems, and elevating one’s own goals, ambitions, and motivations through such learning. Having students, faculty and staff engaging in this process from a common standpoint is the essence of “inquiry-based learning.”
There are at least two different types of “inquiry.” One involves inquiring into all types of phenomena and seeking the truth. What does it mean to be human? What is the nature of our minds? What is love? What does dopamine do? These kinds of questions are asked in the pursuit of fundamental truths. The other type of inquiry involves envisioning ideals worth striving for and pursuing their realization. This could also be described as a process of “co-creation” of ideals, harnessing the knowledge of a variety of experts and stakeholders—“knowledge convergence,” to borrow a contemporary term. What is needed today is the development and enhancement of learning that inquires into these “ideals,” building on the value of approaches and activities in the pursuit of fundamental truths. We must explore how to systematize such learning and create an environment that allows all Ritsumeikan students to experience it. From this standpoint, in order to expand its initiatives for inquiry into ideals in addition to the pursuit of fundamental truths, Ritsumeikan envisages the “expansive re-coupling of education and research” and seeks to establish a consistent style of research and education framed by the concept of an “inquiry-based academy.” The academy as a whole will co-create inquiry-based learning opportunities that can be accessed by many of its 30,000-plus primary and secondary school pupils, undergraduate and graduate students, and faculty and staff members.

（２）Practical steps toward Ritsumeikan University becoming a “next-generation research university”

During discussions toward a shared understanding, the Student Union expressed the view that in order for the Academy as a whole to develop its capacity for inquiry as a next-generation university, it is important to give attention to students who struggle to take on challenges autonomously and those who are unsure what they want to do, and that there is a need for university teaching to draw out the talents and interests of such students.
One key approach in relation to this point is individual optimization, and Ritsumeikan University is committed to offering “inquiry-based learning” for all its students. An inquiry-based approach will be adopted not only by students but also by faculty and staff members. Moreover, the fields in which this approach is applied will not be limited to classes and research. It is important to re-position all of the university’s activities—including extracurricular activities, study abroad, community partnerships, and entrepreneurship—as opportunities for inquiry-based learning. From a student perspective, a wide range of potential pathways lie ahead of such inquiry-based learning, including graduate studies, startups, international cooperation in NGOs and NPOs, and social and community engagement. In other words, ongoing inquiry-based learning at university opens up a variety of pathways for each student to follow. The quantitative and qualitative enhancement of the graduate schools is another goal of R2030, and this is connected to inquiry-based learning in the sense that a shift in the approach to undergraduate learning will produce more students with the desire and motivation to continue their journey of inquiry at graduate school. Moreover, graduate schools are now extending beyond their conventional roles of cultivating researchers and professionals. Graduate schools can provide career development options to a variety of people, for example by offering recurrent education and opportunities for re-skilling that can be pursued by people while remaining in the workforce. The University wants to create graduate schools that are places where people pursue deeper learning and return to for further learning at a variety of turning points in their lives. These places exemplify Ritsumeikan’s role as an alma mater (mothership) of learning.
These ideas signal a turning point, a shift to a new phase distinct from the approaches to university education taken thus far. The University is aware of the need to accelerate this shift, informed by discussions in this Plenary Council.
The kind of inquiry-based learning described above is already being pioneered in activities such as EDGE and RIMIX. We believe that in order to meet the learning aspirations of Ritsumeikan University students, it will be essential to create systems that enable such activities to emerge in a wider variety of fields and situations, not only conventional extracurricular spheres such as sporting, cultural, and artistic pursuits, but also social collaborations, community partnerships and the like. To date, the pattern has mainly involved a single learning activity based on a single topic of student interest, but we now envisage a more coordinated approach in which a single topic of interest becomes the entry point for combining two or three different learning activities. Rendering such learning more visible and communicating it more widely will help inspire other students and create a positive cycle of growth. Another priority is the provision of a one-stop service for supporting students’ learning and growth through these systems. Moreover, the sense of growth that students gain through such activities is not limited to their time at university: students should be able to make use of their inquiry-based learning experiences five or even ten years after they have graduated. The University will work to enable more students to take up the challenge of inquiry-based learning and to create their own individually optimized learning experiences.

（３）Graduate student career paths in a next-generation research university

The University will pursue a shift in direction when formulating the next round of career path support programs, toward an increase in on-campus employment and more generous financial support. For example, the University is considering the continuation of fixed-sum academic conference scholarships, the integration of the English-language manuscript submission support scheme into foreign language support, and the introduction of a basic research subsidy scheme for graduate students. Other changes under consideration include the establishment of a dedicated doctoral career support service, the introduction of a basic research environment support program (foreign language translation system), the creation of new opportunities for graduate students to present their research, and the introduction of a graduate student mentoring scheme.
The Graduate Student Council expressed its awareness of the importance of these financial support and basic research activity support schemes in expanding the scope for students to pursue graduate studies, and welcomed the establishment of new programs equivalent to the JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists, such as NEXT Student Fellows and RARA Student Fellows. The Graduate Student Council then identified a challenge for doctoral programs that are adopting a stronger focus on the training of academic researchers: the fact that the value of the financial assistance offered under current support schemes is not adequate when compared to the incomes of other individuals of similar age already in employment. The Council acknowledged that such comparisons cannot be made simplistically, given the need to take into account conditions such as social insurance, welfare and benefits, but argued that even so, there is a need for a “high-profile research support scheme” that provides focused, intensive support at a higher level.
Discussions held between the University and the Graduate Student Council during AY2022 evidenced basic agreement on the importance of improving financial assistance for graduate students. The University understands that the Graduate Student Council’s call for a “high-profile research support scheme” outside this financial assistance framework is made with the intention of both encouraging and motivating current graduate students and making the prospect of entering graduate school and working as a young researcher more attractive to prospective students and wider society. In reality, however, it is often difficult to provide such schemes in combination especially with those offered by external bodies, such as the JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists. The University acknowledged the Graduate Student Council’s call for the establishment of a new “high-profile research support scheme” that provides enhanced payment conditions and value, aligned with the approaches to research depth and innovation in a next-generation research university as envisaged in R2030, and committed to continuing discussions with the Graduate Student Council taking into account the overall approach to career path support going forward.
The University confirmed that it would continue to exchange opinions with students and consider the directions and challenges going forward in relation to issues such as how to position topics related to future R2030 activities in relation to the various programs already being pursued under the R2030 Challenge Design, and the current status and future directions of discussion with regard to each of these topics.
The process for giving concrete shape to initiatives will be established through “forums at multiple levels for all students to become involved in academic affairs and university development (College-level five-way discussion meetings, forums for discussion with various university organs),” as confirmed in Chapter I.

Summary of the AY2022 Plenary Council

The AY2022 Plenary Council provides a model for the pursuit of university development in the future, with undergraduate and graduate students participating in discussion of university development through dialogue with the University, with all parties conscious of their respective roles. Other outlets for discussion, such as the five-way discussion meetings and forums for discussion with various university organs, similarly furnish opportunities for student involvement in university development. The pursuit of ongoing dialogue through these opportunities will be a source of strength for Ritsumeikan going forward, and will support the learning and growth of Ritsumeikan students long into the future.
Based on the outcomes of discussion in the AY2022 Plenary Council, the next open session of the Plenary Council is scheduled to convene in AY2026.

January 25, 2023
Chancellor, The Ritsumeikan Trust
Chair, Central Standing Committee, Ritsumeikan University Student Union
President, Ritsumeikan University Graduate Student Council
Executive Committee Chair, Ritsumeikan University Faculty and Staff Union
Executive Director, Ritsumeikan Cooperative (observer)