‘The Dragon Cherry Blossoms’ in Bangladesh, A Follow Up on GCMP

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Grameen Change Makers Program (GCMP) (in Japanese) (Ref.1) is a program launched two years ago in Bangladesh by the students of Waseda University, Mr. Saisyo, Mr. Miyoshi and their friends.  In this program, Mr. Saisyo, currently on leave from Waseda University, set up ‘The Dragon Cherry Blossoms e-education’ project in collaboration with the Grameen Foundation.  (in Japanese) (Ref.1)

Mr. Saisyo encountered many problems and hardships in the process of carrying out this project.  From such experience, he reports, that he organized a 7 hours’ bus tour for the students in this project to see ‘Dhaka University’, the top university of Bangladesh. The objective of this project is to let the poor village high school students challenge this university.  I must say that such kind of idea is not likely to emerge unless you are on the site in person.  Now, I have at hand the latest report-2 describing in detail what actually happened, the background of this tour (in Japanese) as well as the local newspaper coverage. (in Japanese)

In his recent e-mail Mr. Saisyo writes:

‘Now we have only one month to go for the entrance exams of Dhaka University!

Students were very highly motivated after the study tour to Dhaka University. The results of the practice exams are gradually improving.

Currently 23 students are working in this project.

In accordance to the results of Dhaka University practice entrance exams we divided students into 4 groups

Team A, 5 students: Excellent
Team B, 5 students: Good
Team C, women students: 5
Team D, 13 students: Average

Every week the students move up and down among those groups by their test results.  This will lead the students to competition.

Students in AB teams are particularly highly motivated so we say to each other that we actually could expect good results.

I will return to Japan temporarily in early October for some required procedures at Waseda University.  I hope to report to you more when I see you then.’

Anyway, the ideas of this project came from personal experience of Mr. Saisyo, his failure in his high school years and overcoming of the failure.  This process is very important for thinking of and creating plans in the real world.  When we talk about importance of ‘on the site competency’, I think what we are really talking about is the ‘real personal experiences’ as we see in his case.  Things will not be the same if you just sit down and think in your head.

Mr. Miyoshi, on the other hand, has been back again to Bangladesh.  Now, he took off yesterday for another adventure to the world, a journey of self discovery.

Today, we had a gathering of students who have been to Bangladesh this summer to listen to each others’ reports of their experiences.  Although it was a holiday, many youths came as well as the representatives of the supporting companies such as HIS (in Japanese) and Sunstar.  Professor Seiichiro Yonekura of Hitotsubashi University, Dr. Hideo Abe, formerly working for JICA, also participated to make comments on the reports.  We had a wonderful time for 4 hours of Sunday evening..

The students chose their own themes and formed　group and worked together to present a project proposal.  I could see that everyone learned a lot from their first hand experience in Bangladesh.  Also, this process itself was a good chance for discovering their ‘self’.  Students, once ‘abroad’, will begin to see and feel themselves as individuals.  This will also lead them to see Japan from outside.  Then, I imagine, they will begin finding and following their mind, heart and intuition, and find what they want to do, how they would choose their career. 

Each student felt that they have changed a lot  (Ref.1)  It is my firm belief that opportunities like this will form ‘dots’ that connect youths to the broad world in building their future career.

 

Michael Sandel and ‘Learning on Web’: Importance of Asking ‘Why?’

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Two things are now hot topics recently and I have introduced them to you in my website postings.  One is‘Justice’ by Professor Michael Sandel (Ref.1) and another is ‘Learning on Web’ (‘web de manabu’ ?a book in Japanese)  written by Mr. Umeda and Dr. Iiyoshi. 

The television program showing Dr. Michael Sandel’s lecture series at Harvard  (On-line viewing is available） gained a tremendous popularity, so much that he was invited to Japan in August.  On the other hand, you could say that this reaction may be typically Japanese.

 ‘Learning on Web’ is likely to receive a big reaction, also.  I see many good comments on the web, blogs and twitter.

Why?

Professor Sandel tries to make students ‘question the essence of the issues’ that exist in various examples from every day life and have them think ‘why?’.  And from this process of thinking the students will understand the universal nature of the problems and also unique to each problem, leading students to experience the process of raising philosophical question of ‘What is Justice?’.  I believe this is the reason why the students and viewers of the television broadcast were so ‘intellectually stimulated’ by his lecture series ‘Justice’.  Most people must have felt as if they were awaken because they rarely, if not at all, have shared experiences of ‘thinking by themselves’ in lectures at universities.

Dr. Iiyoshi notices this reasoning process and is commenting on it in his blog. To my delight, he captures my blog comments that I share with him his desire of ‘raising questions’ to people, the desire which he and Mr. Umeda aimed to make clear in this book.  This process has been quite pleasent exchanges to me.

I feel that in our everyday life or in the process of education, the most lacking element is the attitude or habit of constantly asking ‘why?’; ‘teachers and learners’ thinking together, the process which is an attitude more conducive of learning. Generally speaking this process is very weak in Japanese education or trainings in schools, companies or other organizations.  ‘Guidelines’, ‘Textbook authorizations’, tend to prevail.  The same could be said for our laws and we tend to think they are given to us.  ‘Hierarchical’ thinking lies in the basis of everything here, I should say.

In classrooms, typically, things are taught in descriptive style as if the teachers have all the answers.  There are few asking questions together, no thinking together.  Even in higher education (universities) basically what they do is conveying of knowledge.  This is precisely the reason why the lecture of Professor Sandel is so stimulating to many of Japanese.  We have, in Japan, so many ‘How To’ or ‘Know How’ lectures being delivered because of its popularity, but I mind you that the most important thing is to think ‘Why?’

In this open and flattening ‘knowledge society’, you must challenge your thinking by stimulating your intellectual ability and capacity.  Nothing will begin if you will only ‘Wait for Instructions’.  I am certain that Professor Sandel and a book ‘Learning on Web’ are causing so much excitement among (Japanese) people because these two are sending out ‘Intellectual Challenges’ that exist in the minds of everyone of us
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‘Learning on Web: Open Education and Revolution of Learning’, A ‘Must’ Book

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Dr. Iiyoshi  whom I have introduced to you last year (blog, Ref.1) (in Japanese) and Mr. Umeda  （blog） (in Japanese) who is sending out messages from Silicon Valley such as his book ‘Going Through the Web Age (Web Jidai Wo Yuku)’ (by the way, he is also a great writer on shogi game (Japanese chess game))recently co-authored and published ‘Learning on Web (‘Web de Manabu)’ (in Japanese). The book offers lots of ‘eye-opening’ information, very rich in content, and I recommend strongly to all educators and people who are interested in learning or (their) children’s education.

‘Learning on Web’ gives you the idea and sense of how education, starting with the epoc-making OpenCourseWare of MIT (included in the Top50 websites in recent Times magazine), has become ‘Open’, how amazing the speed and power of the trend of the ‘Web age’ is.

As I have been pointing out repeatedly even in many public ‘occasions’  (Ref.1, 2), Internet is a tool that ‘empowers individuals’ with an impact comparable to the printing technology invented by Gutenberg in the 15th century.  Internet enables individuals in broader area to access and/or ‘share’ to broader audience.  It expands globally regardless of country border or time.  Conseqently, new ‘inquiries’ will be raised by many more people, ‘questioning of the (traditional) authorities’ will follow.  Thus, this change continues to move forward but never backwards.  Nations, companies, institutions which fail to adapt itself to this change, or attempts to oppose it will inevitably have to suffer more damages.  I regard this as the essence of ‘globalization’.

iTune, iPod, IPhone, and iPad are some good recent examples.  Just by thinking what industrial sectors resisted, or how these products changed society or the global world, and what eventually became of those resisting power, you will well understand what I mean.
  
In other words, this ‘Learning on Web’ is not only giving information on the new world changes of education to educators, but also reminding them of their responsibilities and questioning how they performed.

However, if you see this book as ‘empowerment of individuals’, ‘Learning on Web’ is asking actively to all students (recipients of education) and learners (who are willing to learn) what kind of education they want, introducing them to new educational opportunities and tools for learning, possibilities of discoveries that make them better and grow.

Also, I sense in this book a concern for Japan which appears to be resting in isolation from the change of the world.  I imagine that this is because that the two authors have been away from Japan for long years, have built their careers outside Japan as an indepedent individual, and therefore are increasingly becoming frustrated and even sorry  (in Japanese) for closed Japan which remains incapable of changing in this rapidly globalizing world, and also reflect their deep love, ‘patriotism’ (not ‘nationalism’) for Japan.

I recommend this book to all people, a ‘must’ reading to all grown ups who are concerned with education.

By the way, the outline of this book and the points they intended to make are given in the blogs of Mr. Umeda and Dr. Iiyoshi  which I have introduced to you above.  Many of the resource sites introduced in this book are shown in a list in this blog. Even if you do not have the book ‘Learning on Web’ at hand, these blogs will help you visit many valuable sites.

It is wonderful to know that there are so many, many people who are devoted to education and nurturing people of the ‘world’.

 

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‘Beautiful’ Resume

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‘Hitotsubashi Business Review’  (in Japanese) is a quarterly magazine read broadly by business people in Japan. Edited by Hitotsubashi University Institute of Innovation Research (Director, Professor Seiichiro Yonekura),  the magazine’s fall issue recently organized a special feature on ‘the 10th anniversary’ of the magazine.  It was my honor to write some of my thoughts to congratulate, together with Mr. Fujio Mitarai, Chairman and CEO, Canon; Professor Ikujiro Nonaka; and Mr. Takuya Iwasaki, Editor in Chief, ‘Diamond Harvard Business Review.

The title of my article is “‘Beautiful’ Resume ("'Utsukushii' Rirekisyo no Jidai")” (in Japanese) . The wording was quoted from a book by Ms. Michi Kaifu  ‘Paradise and Closed Country ? Japan, a Forgotten Great Power (in Japanese, original title ‘Paradise Sakoku- Wasurerareta Taikoku Nippon)’  (Ref.1) (in Japanese). 

Besides the book, Ms. Kaifu is sending out messages actively from Silicon Valley through her blog (in Japanese). What this title means is explained in her book, and by the way, her book is one of my recommended readings because it is filled with good catchy words reaching to the core issues of Japan. 

I borrowed this wording because I thought by this expression Ms. Kaifu beautifully described almost the same idea as what I have been saying, i.e. “build your career by seeing yourself better in the global world through spending some time and competition with peers outside”- you can see your strength and weakness self better and more objectively.

How to build such ‘beautiful’ resumes ? is also the core message of my book with Professor Yoko Ishikura ‘How to Build a Global Career (Sekaikyu Kyaria no Tsukurikara)’.

And examples of how to start this kind of career are to ‘Take a Leave of Absence from School’ , one of my major messages, or the ‘Asian Youths Exchange Program’ in Okinawa.

Our current system of one track career, being promoted step by step within the same organization, starting a career right after university graduation, employment being informally decided at junior year in collage ? the society which take these facts for granted and ‘norm’ should be regarded as ‘outrageous (tondemo)’ career in global and flattening world.  Working lifetime for the same organization must be a choice for ‘the employees’.  However, in government offices and big companies, this single career remains the standard for most people.  Even in universities, where more autonomy and mobility is expected, we see quite a number of ‘Four Lines Biography Professors (yongyo kyojyu, i.e. professors who need only 4 lines for their academic resume staying and being promoted in the same institution)’ (Ref.1) (in Japanese)

Why is it that I (originally in the field of science, an MD) was asked to write for such a ‘business’ magazine?  To be frank I hesitated a bit when I thought about the readers of this magazine, but on the other hand was also pleased.  Perhaps the idea came from Professor Yonekura.  It may be because my philosophy is that whether in business, education, health services, or government, the basics is always ‘B to B’ for all, and ‘how much you are able to see and feel the change’.  In short, my ‘B to B’ is ‘Back to Basics’. The person who continuously emphasizes this principle of ‘Back to Basics’ in business and innovation is Peter Drucker, whom you all know very well.

 

Meeting of Enthusiastic Youths Who Heard Their ‘Inner Voice’ and Jumped on to Action

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Considering how difficult it is to find jobs today, the future of youths seem to be quite unpromising.  There are, however, a small number of grown ups and entrepreneurs working actively to support young people.  The ‘Fresh Career Course’ by Pasona (Ref.1,2)(in Japanese) designed to support new graduates is one of those examples.  I think these actions are wonderful.  I, too, participate as one of the supporting members for such right and compassionate actions.

On the other hand, there are increasing number of young people who have found what they really want to do through ‘on the site experiences’, in search for ways to reach the goals, and stepping forward towards the goal with great effort.  I wish to support them sincerely in my own capacity as I have introduced to you more than several times in my site (Ref.1,2).  
 
Two days ago I had guests at my office who gathered in spite of the heavy rain we had that day; Ms. Kanae Doi of Human Rights Watch, Mr. Shigeyuki Jo  (in Japanese) of Joe’s Lab, Mr. Yuske Matsuda and Mr. Kota Fukazawa, working hard to get on track their recently founded ‘Learning For All’ (in Japanese) (a group set up in preparation of the Japanese version of ‘Teach For America’ which I have introduced to you in this site 2 years ago ), Mr. Naoto Miyahira  of Soket and his colleague (Dr. Arai of D-Lab Japan).  My intention was to introduce them to each other to have them tell their ‘stories (monogatari)’ so that they may ‘connect’ and ‘expand horizontally’ as they see fit.  I am quite positive that many future-looking enprepreneurial activities will emerge and expand through them.

Youths hear their ‘inner voice’ through their ‘first hand experience’ and then be awakened, filled with passion.  Good examples include Mr. Saisyo and Miyoshi, students of Waseda University (on leave) and their colleagues who are currently working hard in Bagladesh (I have introduced them to you a number of times here (Ref.1) ), senior students who responded to my message of ‘Take Leave of Absence from School’, suspended their job hunting activities, took leave of absence from school and went to Moscow or is going to Ghana next week.

These students have much stronger ‘gut’ or ‘deep inner' feeling of the essence of important matters than most of the grown ups who always respond with ‘Reasons Why Something Cannot Be Done’.

We, the grown ups, should support and encourage those youths, but never interfere or obstract their paths.  This world is changing in a great speed.  The future of the young generation is the top priority for human resource development and the future of Japan.

 

L’Oreal Women in Science Fellowship, Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki Wins Special Award

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On August 23th I left Okinawa AYEPO 2010 closing ceremony for Tokyo where I headed directly to the L’Oreal Women in Science Fellowship Award Ceremony.

As I always say, shining women are the hope of Japan.

Again this year 4 bright and young women scientists were awarded this honor.? Also this year, a special award was given to astronaut Naoko Yamazaki? (Ref.1). The ceremony was even more highlighted by her presence.? The stage was very beautifully set up and the program moved smoothly, which is very much the ‘L’Oreal style’, as I always say.? I was asked to make a toast, which I of course happily accepted.?

Every year beginning 1998, in collaboration of UNESCO, 5 wonderful women scientists are awarded one each from the 5 continents of the world?(Ref.1). This fellowship award, by the way, started in Japan five years ago to encourage the young women scientists.

I spent wonderful time with wonderful people just as I did two year ago at the award ceremony of 2008.

Quite a number of people gathered include Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, former Director General of UNESCO, former (Ms Bando) and current (Ms. Okajima) Directors of the Gender Equality Bureau, Cabinet Office (3 successive directors since this post was founded are all women).

The future of Japan lies in how quickly we can create and expand the places for women to participate actively?(Ref.1,2).?

I would say that the major barrier is the ‘men-centered chauvinistic’ mindset and social structure, the society? where ‘herbivorous (soshokukei) men’ are dominating and taking charge.? I also suspect they (men) are scared of revealing how they actually are.? However, it is clear that in this transition from ‘vertically’ to ‘horizontally’ expanding global age, the time of ‘social titles’ with little real content or value to the world has ended long time ago.

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Professor Michael Sandel Visits Japan; What is its Impact?

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Professor Michael Sandel of Harvard University, known and loved by ‘Heated Class： Justice (Hakunetsu Kyoshitsu Justice)’ , a lecture series broadcasted by NHK television, is visiting Japan now.  Right after  his arrival Dr. Sandel gave his lecture at the Yasuda Auditorium of University of Tokyo.  Applications for the seats, as I understand, were more than 10 times of the capacity of the hall?  This class is scheduled to be on air at NHK today (August 26th).  I am sure that it will be broadcasted again sometime in the future.  So please, by all means, watch and hear it.

Professor Sandel is scheduled to give a lecture also on 27th at some other place in Tokyo and I was invited for it but had to be excused because of my other appointments ? such a pity!  (I will write a separate column on this later, though…)  So, I introduced the organizers several young people to be there in my place.  I am sure that this will be a very good experience for them.

I have reported on this class in my blog of May 16th  and 19th in which I have made several comments about what I thought was particularly good about Dr. Sandel lecture series ? the way he organized the whole session.

Now, students in Tokyo who were lucky enough to have had a chance to attend those classes ‘live’ will naturally compare them to the lectures they hear every day, their own faculties.

And for students to be given such opportunities to attend many classes of various professors beyond one’s own universities even across national borders, for the classes to be opened to students and teachers as much as possible, are the forces which will work to improve the quality of education.  For naturally, everybody will choose what they feel to be better, and teachers will, by witnessing those wonderful lectures and classes, follow the models as their objectives.

In Global Age these good lectures will be ‘open’, thanks to the digital technologies, to public through ‘OCW’, ‘You Tube’, and eventually accumulate ‘global reputations’ leading to the ‘global standards’.  Please note that the evaluations of education and faculties will not be limited only within universities or countries.

Such education based on the concept of ‘open classes’ of the ‘global’ age is provided at Hitotsubashi Business School.  This is something ‘tuff’ to do for faculties but apparently is good for students – they will be encouraged to put much work in their learning which, in return, would lead to the good reputation of the university in both ‘domestic and international’ arena.

‘Impact factors, citations’ of the research outputs are not the only index important in evaluating universities.  Quality of education can also be evaluated globally.  Students need and want this.
 
Of course, the lectures of Professor Sandel can be viewed On-line.

Youths in Action – A New Project By Grameen and Japanese Youths

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As I have reported to you several times in this website, the very first project run by Japanese kicked off by the initiatives of Mr. Saisyo and other students of Waseda University (they are currently on the leave of absence of course) and Grameen Bank, Bangladesh.

The name of the project is “‘The Dragon Cherry Blossoms‘ of the poorest country in Asia” (in Japanese) e-education program.

As you see in the blog of Mr. Saisyo (in Japanese), the Asahi Shinbun newspaper published an article on this in Japan.  A series of coverage is also scheduled to appear on ‘Soto Koto’ magazine.  The first report （in Japanese） was already published.  Do you see how hard they are working?  I am very pleased.  Please support them in any way you can.

They have taken the students of the village on a bus to see the Dhaka University campus ? a 7 hours travel.  I think this sort of ideas and actions will never occur  unless you actually live at the place and think locally.  According to the e-mail and photos from Mr. Saisho （in Japanese）;

“Yesterday, I took the village high school students to a study tour to Dhaka University.  This idea came because I saw the students having hard time trying to imagine themselves ‘entering Dhaka University’.  ‘We might as well take them to the place! ‘ that was the concept of this plan.”
“ ‘It was my lifetime experience!!!’ was their reaction.  The tour was a huge success.”

Was Saisyo-kun’s report.

What kind of experience was this to the village children, parents, or villagers?  Of course this will, I would say, eventually affect the way Dr. Yunus and the people at the Grameen Bank see Japanese young students and people.

This is a good example of the basic concept of Citizen Diplomacy.  Universities, not to speak of companies, have responsibilities to support and encourage such youths.  This sort of activities of private sector will be a good brand toward the future. Sucn activites of private sector are indeed ‘social enterprises’, the ‘strategic investments’.  We don’t necessarily have to depend on governments.  After all, how could we depend on grown up people who almost automatically respond by excuses saying ‘A good idea, but not possible to do because,,,’ , ‘we don’t have budgets….’, or rely to that never changing education policies? We should rather think and come up with ideas on how to support these activities by the youth.  The last thing we need to do is to discourage the ambitions of the youths (Ref.1).

 

Japan-Korea Exchange, Happy Gatherings

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Speech by President Lee on August 15th was for about 20 minutes.  Regarding the relations with North Korea the President expressed 3 strategic steps of partnerships based on ‘Peace’, ‘Economy’, and ‘Korean Reunion’.  I would like to read it if English and/or Japanese translations of the full text were available.

During my stay at Seoul, I was given lots of opportunities to meet people.  To my lecture at the Seoul National University, my old and new colleagues in nephrology, the science of kidney, gathered on the occasion and Dr. Narry Kim (Ref.1,2) a L’Oreal Prize Laureate of the year 2008 kindly came to the confenerce.

In the evening of 13th, the day I arrived at Seoul, I had dinner with Dr. Ju (Ref.1) whom I have introduced to you before.  Dr. Sumio Ishida, the specialist of the history of medicine in Korea (Dr. Ishida has many writings on the history of medical educations in The Netherlands and Korea) and Professor Lee, Heung-Ki (who studies history of hospitals in Korea at the Seoul University) (Dr. Lee’s photo is uploaded at the top of the previous column posting) also gathered and we all celebrated the happy reunion.  Dr. Ju is now 89 years old, but he is still very clear-headed; a truly wonderful person.
 
In the evening of August 15th, we invited a Korean female sophomore student of Waseda University who is currently spending her summer vacation with her family in Seoul.  She used to live in Japan until 5 years old because of her parents’ work and her Japanese is impressive.  Her older brother is studying in Canada.  She is very focused about her career goal and told me that she chose Waseda because of that goal.  She was selected to be a recipient of the scholarship (in Japanese) offered this July by the alumna of Waseda University  (in Japanese). I was very delighted to learn this good news.  I would like to see more and more of such mutual exchanges of young students to take place.

In the morning of 16th, the last day, I came across by chance with Dr. Tsutomu Nakada (in Japanese)(Ref.1) at the Executive Lounge of the Hotel.  I talk to him once in a while over a telephone but he happened to arrive at Seoul the day before yesterday and was leaving for Japan today.  What a coincidence!  This kind of unexpected encounter is apparently one of the hidden pleasures of traveling.  We enjoyed a brief catch ups.

Lunch was with Dr. Han Seung-Soo.  Dr. Han had been appointed to a series of ministers of the Government of Korea, is well known in international arena, was President of the 56th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (on the very morning of his inauguration ceremony the September 11 happened in NYC….), was a Professor of the Seoul National University.

Dr. Han Seung-Soo published a book ‘Beyond the Shadow of 9/11’  which records one year of his experience as the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations.  This book is a very impressive work which I highly recommend especially to those who seek careers in diplomacy or United Nation and other international istitutions.

Japan and Korea are neighbors.  We share and have long history of deep relations in various fields such as economy, politics, and culture….for over 1,500 years.  We are the most important partner to each other in this globalizing world.  To perceive whatever issue as ‘two neighbor nations in a big framework of the world that is changing dramatically’ and to think accordingly is crucially necessary and important.

This was also one of main messages of my lecture at the Seoul National University which I have reported to you in my previous posting.

From Seoul

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I came to Seoul on 13th.

I was invited to give a special lecture on August 14th in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Kidney Group at the Seoul National University (Ref.1)  Medical Research Center.  Such invitation must be accepted by all means.  This kind of gathering is very important.

This year happens to be the 100th year of Japan’s annexation of Korea.  14th being the last day of ‘Independence, Liberation’ in light of the Declaration of Surrender of Japan that took place in August 15th, 65 years ago,  Korean people celebrate August 15th annually as ‘Restoration of the Light Day’ (Gwangbokjeol) 

In my lecture on 14th, I included some comments about these two days (14th and 15th).  I also stressed especially, as always, the importance of human resource development which is the challenge of the global age, expressed further my views, introduced the works of Dr Gozo Sato (Ref.1) in the field of medical education in modern Korea, and concluded with some thoughts on our responsibilities as University Faculties.

I think my lecture was well accepted since many people told me that they were happy to have learned to see things in broader perspectives.  I was also fortunate enough to see several of my old friends.

So here I will post the text of my lecture and Power Points (part1 and part2) for your reference.  Please take a look.