Endowed Courses, 2022

This course offers lectures incorporating cutting-edge leadership research and education from around the world, along with participatory classes (active learning) that focus on “dialogue” among students. By systematically learning global leadership from both theoretical and practical perspectives, we aim to cultivate individuals who can lead the times and possess the ability to collaborate, engage in dialogue, and make decisions. Furthermore, we will conduct parallel workshops where groups explore and formulate proposals for social issues, putting into practice “jitsugaku (science)” that applies learning to the real world.

The diverse experiences gained through this course will enhance students' communication skills, naturally lead them to self-reflection within their relationships with others, and guide them toward deep thinking about the true purpose of their university life.

For Students

The Keio University Global Research Institute (KGRI) offers courses on cutting-edge issues, with its faculty members and invited experts from various fields serving as instructors. One of these, “Fundamentals of Leadership,” is a living discipline in which we collaborate with overseas researchers to study the latest leadership theories, apply the results to the course as education, measure student learning, and feed the data back into research.

We operate this program with the aim of maximizing KGRI's functions by promoting interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research in the three clusters of “Longevity,” “Security,” and “Creativity,” while working in close collaboration with related educational and research fields at the university.

1. Course Offerings and Registration Policies

The course is open to students from all undergraduate faculties and graduate schools and will be offered at the Hiyoshi Campus starting this academic year. Please check for updates from the course's planned SNS account. There are no prerequisite assignments, but a lottery may be held if the number of applicants exceeds capacity.

Withdrawal after registration is not permitted (this is a non-cancellable course).

To develop fundamental leadership skills, this course is centered on active learning, and attendance at every class is required in principle. For more details about the course, please watch the video below.

Please note that the order of the sessions may change depending on learning effectiveness and progress.

Questions and consultations) We accept them as needed. Please contact us by email at (tamuraclass2022[at]gmail.com). When sending, please replace [at] with @.

2. Guidance

Please watch the guidance video.

Digital technology is having a wide-ranging impact on everything from people's lifestyles to economic systems and the governance structures of society. The magnitude of this impact has a breadth and depth that could be described as the rise of a new civilization. To cultivate individuals who can guide society correctly amidst this major transformation, advanced education based on interdisciplinary and cutting-edge research is necessary, encompassing not only technical perspectives but also fields such as philosophy, law, economics, and medicine (well-being). This course, based on the knowledge and networks accumulated at the Keio University Cyber Civilization Research Center, aims to provide world-class, high-level instruction. With Professor Farber, invited as a Senior Project Professor (Type A), serving as the primary instructor and with the participation of faculty from multiple graduate schools, students will explore the multifaceted nature of cyber civilization and engage in the creation of new knowledge.

For Students

The Keio Global Research Institute (KGRI), in close collaboration with related educational and research fields at the university, promotes interdisciplinary research that integrates the humanities and sciences across the three clusters of Longevity, Security, and Creativity. Drawing on these research activities, KGRI offers courses that address cutting-edge issues, taught by its faculty members and by experts invited from various fields.

1. Course Offerings and Registration Policies

As evaluation is based on participation in the lectures, attendance at every class is required.

An overview will be provided in the first lecture.

The order of the scheduled lectures may change due to the availability of guest lecturers. Additionally, depending on the circumstances, the course may be conducted online.

2. Guidance Session

A guidance session will not be held for the 2022 academic year. An overview will be provided in the first lecture.

In recent years, the role and influence of platforms have grown significantly in various areas such as economic transactions, media, social interaction, and public health. This trend is likely to be further accelerated by COVID-19. By appropriately utilizing the data and algorithms they possess, platforms have the potential to solve many of contemporary society's challenges, including issues of an aging population, new ways of working (such as remote work), and the realization of a sharing economy. While expectations for these capabilities are growing daily, so are concerns about the spread of fake news and slander through platforms, privacy violations due to profiling, and their dominant power in economic markets. In this course, faculty and experts from within Keio who are well-versed in various fields across the humanities and sciences will examine the potential, possibilities, functions, and social responsibilities of platforms, incorporating not only technical perspectives but also social and humanistic ones. Through these lectures and discussions, we will also deeply consider the future that platforms will pioneer and what a new civilization (cyber civilization) might be.

Furthermore, as platforms transcend national borders, consideration from a global perspective is also necessary. Therefore, in the fall semester course ("Platform Economy and Sustainable Society 2"), we will invite (online) researchers and other experts in the platform economy from overseas research institutions to examine the possibilities and challenges brought about by the globalization of platforms. (While it is not mandatory to take "Platform Economy and Sustainable Society 1" in the spring semester and "Platform Economy and Sustainable Society 2" in the fall semester consecutively, taking them in sequence is recommended).

We aim to make the cutting-edge 'knowledge' created by bridging practice and theory widely available to the students of this Juku, and to cultivate leaders who will guide cyber civilization.

For Students

The Keio Global Research Institute (KGRI), in close collaboration with related educational and research fields at the university, promotes interdisciplinary research that integrates the humanities and sciences, as well as cross-disciplinary research, across the three clusters of 'Longevity,' 'Security,' and 'Creativity.' Against the backdrop of these research activities, we are establishing courses that address cutting-edge issues, with KGRI faculty members and experts invited from various fields serving as instructors.

1. Offered Courses and Registration Policies

As evaluation is based on participation in the course, attendance at every class is required (the course is planned to be held in a hybrid format, both in-person and online). Details will be provided during the guidance session. Due to the availability of guest lecturers, the order of the scheduled lectures may change. Additionally, depending on the circumstances, the course may be conducted entirely online. Please note that while it is not mandatory to take 'Platform Economy and Sustainable Society 1' in the spring semester and 'Platform Economy and Sustainable Society 2' in the fall semester consecutively, taking them in sequence is recommended.

2. Guidance

Spring Semester: April 4, 2022 (Monday), 6th period, 18:10 - 19:40

*Online (real-time)

With societal changes brought about by a declining workforce and an aging population, it is anticipated that by 2040, a variety of social issues will intensify on an unprecedented scale. These include a slowdown in economic growth, inequality in access to medical care, an increase in foreign workers, and the magnified impact of disasters and infectious diseases—collectively known as the '2040 Problem.' Consequently, the products, services, and values that have traditionally supported society and earned our trust are now facing re-evaluation. In this context, high hopes are placed on the potential of scientific technologies such as AI, genomic medicine, implantable devices, and platforms to improve our lives—enhancing the convenience of daily life, boosting productivity in our economic activities, extending healthy life expectancy, and diversifying life courses. However, our trust in these technologies is not sustained by the safety and utility of the products alone. For instance, ethical considerations in the development process (such as animal testing and labor conditions), the prevention of technological misuse, and respect for the environment, user human rights, and diversity are no longer mere added values. They are becoming essential components for instilling trust in the products themselves. So, what specific considerations are needed, and how can they be implemented into products? To answer this, we must first delve deeper into why such considerations are necessary, all while envisioning the society of 2040.

In this course, we will explore the potential for technological innovation to address various social issues, incorporating not only technical perspectives from the fields of science and technology and medical sciences, but also social and humanistic viewpoints. We will examine methods for social implementation, as well as the ethical appropriateness and legal legitimacy required to secure trust in these technologies and maximize their benefits, as we envision a Trust Based Society for 2040. Specifically, the course will consist of lectures by experts and discussions on various issues where the re-creation of trust is paramount.

The course will be conducted through lectures by researchers from within and outside Keio and practitioners involved in social implementation, group discussions among participants, and plenary discussions that include the lecturers. We will also learn analytical methods based on system design thinking and conduct several workshops where participants propose solutions for envisioning trust. Moreover, as globalization advances, the fluctuation and rebuilding of trust in other countries are impacting Japanese society. Therefore, we plan to invite guest lecturers from overseas, depending on the topic.

In this course, we aim to cultivate leaders who can tackle the '2040 Problem' by leveraging their expertise while maintaining a multifaceted perspective, and who can explore and propose solutions in real-time through dialogue with experts from other fields and with society. To achieve this, we will incorporate the progress of research activities at KGRI into our classes, emphasizing discussions among participants and with practitioners, as we seek to imagine and create the future society in which we will live.

For Students

The Keio University Global Research Institute (KGRI), in close collaboration with the university's related educational and research fields, has launched the '2040 Independence and Self-Respect Project' to promote interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research. Against the backdrop of these research activities, KGRI is offering a course that tackles cutting-edge issues, featuring KGRI faculty and invited experts from various fields as lecturers.

1. Course Offerings and Registration

Since grades are based on class participation, attendance is required for every session. (In principle, the course will be held in a classroom, but some sessions may be conducted online depending on the guest lecturer's schedule). Further details will be provided at the guidance session.

The order of scheduled lectures may change depending on the availability of guest lecturers.

It is not mandatory to take both the spring semester 'MUFG Endowed Course: Re-creating 'Trust' for a Sustainable Society—Beyond '2040' 1' and the fall semester 'MUFG Endowed Course: Re-creating 'Trust' for a Sustainable Society—Beyond '2040' 2.' However, taking them consecutively is recommended.

2. Guidance Session

Spring Semester: April 1, 2022 (Fri) 18:10 - 19:40

*Online (real-time) *Students from affiliated schools who wish to audit the course should register here.

3. Archived Videos

Archived videos of the endowed course can be viewed here.