佐藤 邦明氏 (文部科学省)
受講者感想:筆内 美砂(立命館大学)
研修初日の特別講演は、文部科学省から佐藤邦明さんをお迎えし、コロナ禍における日本の高等教育機関の国際教育事業の状況と今後の展望をお話しいただきました。まず、コロナ禍を受けて文部科学省が講じた対策や、在留資格を有する外国人や新規留学生の入国・再入国の見込みに触れた後、本年6月に実施した「スーパーグローバル大学創生支援事業」および「大学の世界展開力強化事業」採択校（50校）に対する緊急アンケートの結果が紹介されました。採択校の9割が国際教育交流事業の停滞、8割が戦略の策定を行なっているという結果を踏まえて、キャンパスの安全性や学生のヘルスリスク、障がいや経済的負担を抱える学生への公平性も考慮しながら、いかに学びの質を保証し、学習成果を捉え直していくかが今後の議論や課題であると報告されました。この状況下で国際教育交流を促すために、オンラインと対面を組み合わせたハイブリッド型プログラムの導入、量より質を重視する学生交流、リスクを分散するためのパートナーシップの見直し、単位互換の調整、オンライン学生リクルーティングに向けたセキュリティ強化などを具体案として挙げられました。特に「オンライン留学は、対面の代替とはならない。補完はできても、留学する価値を体現できない。」という佐藤さんのご見解は、多くの大学関係者も共有していると思われます。リモート／バーチャル留学を導入する場合、従来の留学の評価要素をオンラインでどの程度満たせるのかを検証・整理する必要がある、という点が重要だと感じました。「新規軸、代替軸、補完軸のそれぞれの観点から国際教育事業を検討すべきである。」というご指摘は、キャンパスの国際化を総体的に見直す際のポイントであり、今後の国際教育のあり方を建設的に考える機会となりました。
Kuniaki Sato (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology)
Comments from a participant: Misa Fudeuchi (Ritsumeikan University)
Based on the current circumstances of Japanese higher education institutions under the COVID-19 pandemic, the presentation highlighted agendas in the pursuit of implementing internationalisation efforts in this time of uncertainty. Mr. Sato first overviewed the emergency measures taken by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in response to the outbreak of COVID-19, and discussed prospects for the relaxation of entry and re-entry restrictions for foreign residents and newly arriving international students. He then reported the results of the first emergency survey conducted this June among the 50 institutions under the Top Global University Project and Inter-University Exchange Project. Institutional challenges were obvious in that 90% of the institutions had seen delays and suspensions of student and faculty exchanges, while 80% had sought new project strategies for the post-Coronavirus era. In light of these results, Mr. Sato highlighted quality assurance of student learning and re-examination of expected learning outcomes as key agendas. Ensuring campus safety, reducing student health risks, and responding to equity issues for students with disabilities and financial difficulties also need to be addressed.
To continue the internationalisation efforts and educational exchanges, the following factors were also raised as specific examples: to develop hybrid programmes combining on-site and online learning settings; to give priority to quality over quantity of student exchanges; to re-structure partnerships for diversifying the risks of crises; to manage credit transfer issues; and to increase cyber security that enables better online student recruitment strategies.
Mr. Sato does not think that online study abroad opportunities will deliver the equivalent educational impact for students as physically studying abroad. Online settings can serve as supplementary stimuli but not as an alternative to first-hand overseas experience. Many educators will probably agree with his perspective to a greater or lesser extent. What I found most important about his statements was the necessity to examine and distinguish respective learning effects and outcomes between on-site versus online settings. In pursuing campus internationalisation efforts, Mr. Sato also emphasised the need to identify target areas and address them by: implementing totally new initiatives; offering alternative opportunities as replacement; or providing supplementary content/contexts. The presentation was inspiring in that it provided me with further insight into approaches to internationalisation in the ever-changing pandemic situation.