On the Opening of the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

2018/08/08

In April 2018, the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion was established at Keio University.

This organization was formed through the progressive reorganization of the Gender Equality Office, which aimed to "ensure that all members of Keio University are respected equally regardless of gender and can choose their work-life balance according to their own values," and the Barrier-Free Committee, which aimed to "formulate and promote measures so that all children and students enrolled at Keio University can receive an equal education regardless of disability." It was newly established to build upon Keio University's previous efforts and to promptly address emerging challenges regarding the acceptance of diversity. Its purpose is to realize a symbiotic society where Keio University faculty, staff, and students respect each other's personalities, recognize diverse values, and cooperate with one another.

We are currently facing a wave of globalization woven by people with diverse values and social backgrounds. While contact with different ways of thinking sometimes creates friction or conflict, a multi-faceted perspective fosters rich ideas, and the flexibility to understand and accept different patterns of thought and behavior serves as a driving force for significant social growth. To overcome social stereotypes and physical or mental constraints while respecting and acknowledging one another, and to enable each individual to live according to their own choices, we need the imagination to put ourselves in others' shoes and a spirit of tolerance rooted in deep compassion for others.

In the "Shūshin Yōryō: Fukuzawa's Moral Code," compiled under Yukichi Fukuzawa, it is stated: "The way of social coexistence is for individuals to protect their own rights and seek happiness, while at the same time respecting the rights and happiness of others and never violating them, thereby not harming the independence and self-respect of oneself or others" (February 1900).

Currently, in addition to efforts to promote diversity, "social inclusion"—where no one is isolated or excluded from society, everyone can demonstrate their abilities as members of society, and people support each other—is attracting attention. In today's world where diverse values coexist, the creation of a society where people from various backgrounds—such as age, gender, nationality, disability, sexual minority status, culture, race, creed, and lifestyle—accept others and respect each other as independent individuals is the "aspiration" of Yukichi Fukuzawa inherited by Keio University under the philosophies of "independence and self-respect" and "cooperation among the Keio Gijuku Shachu." Activities aiming to realize a symbiotic society can be said to be deeply rooted in the principles of the Juku since its founding.

The characteristic of this organization is its triangular structure consisting of the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion as the administrative support organization; the Committee for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, which formulates basic policies and plans for the entire Juku; and the respective Promotion Project Committees that plan and implement the three projects of Work-Life Balance, Barrier-Free, and Diversity. The Committee for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is composed of the Deans of each Faculty and Graduate School representing the academic sector, the principals of each affiliated school, directors of various centers, and from the corporate sector, the Secretary General, the Hospital Administrative Director, and the relevant department heads and administrative directors. This system ensures that both the academic and corporate sectors work together as two wheels to promote this project throughout the entire Juku.

The Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, as an administrative support organization, supports initiatives in each district related to the three projects of Work-Life Balance, Barrier-Free, and Diversity with the aim of realizing the symbiotic society set forth in our philosophy. It also serves as a hub for sharing the knowledge cultivated at each campus. Furthermore, to promote specific activities related to these three projects, respective Promotion Project Committees have been established.

Since Keio University is an educational institution encompassing everything from elementary schools to graduate schools and hospitals, the nature of support on the ground will vary greatly. What is important is the development of systems that apply equally regardless of which campus one belongs to, the construction of a careful support system that stays close to the individual, and the sharing of know-how accumulated in each department through various types of support.

For the success of this project, it is essential that everyone has a sense of ownership. Strengthening horizontal collaboration through a smooth information-sharing mechanism leads to the spirit of cooperation among the Keio Gijuku Shachu that we have nurtured.

Through the construction of a platform to share and disseminate diverse values, and based on the principles of Keio University since its founding, we will further foster a culture where members of the Juku pay equal respect to the dignity of others, and aim to realize a more open society together with all of you.