On October 5, 2026, Keio University welcomed Josée Touchette, Executive Director of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), to deliver a special lecture for Keio students titled “The Role of International Organizations in the Current Geopolitical Context,” which was followed by a career seminar.
The event began with Keio Vice-President Motohiro Tsuchiya providing the opening remarks, after which Executive Director Touchette gave her special lecture. She drew upon her approximately nine years of experience in senior leadership positions at the OECD to discuss the importance of having an organizational foundation for building, maintaining, and operating a rules-based system of global governance, speaking also about the role expected of Japan in developing talent with an international outlook.
In the career seminar, Touchette highlighted the longstanding educational partnerships between universities and international organizations and emphasized the importance of developing future global leaders through such relationships. The OECD currently has official internship agreements with seven universities in Japan, including Keio University, providing students with a range of opportunities to pursue international careers.
The Q&A session that followed was filled with lively discussions on topics that included practical advice for working as an international civil servant at organizations such as the OECD and how to build a professional career path amid an increasingly complex international landscape.