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2013.5.27 KIP Forum "NanoJapan+KIP Discussion"
At the 3rd session of NanoJapan＋KIP discussion, NanoJapan students, KIP students and the KIP director Mr. Ito discussed "Should all students be required to study Liberal Arts, instead of taking professional education?"
The theme comes from the KIP project last year, through which we found that the Japanese companies think highly of the liberal arts, or general education for students.
We had discussion in English in a group which has both NanoJapan students and KIP students. Three groups answered yes to the question above, and one said no. The reasons for yes are to have broader perspectives, to keep balance even though one is determined to pursue particular study and so on. They answered no because they think they should teach in higher level in universities and liberal arts is taught enough by high school. In Q&A session, Mr. Ito told us his own experience at boarding school and university in the U.S. and we got to know that everything related to university or college such as life in a dormitory and club activities is also considered liberal arts.
In Japan, by and large we have less liberal arts education as we become senior. However, they have certain portion of liberal arts every year in the U.S. This difference of systems results in the difference of how we think of liberal arts. I also surprised at the fact that almost all of NanoJapan students, all of which are science students, are taking liberal arts education and they feel it interesting and important. One of them said he took the philosophy courses because its essence is the same as his study, physics, in that both come from the question "What exists behind the fact?"
In the discussion, whether it is good or not, I was impressed by their eagerness that they want to tell their opinion. For instance, they cut into someone's talk and ask questions whenever they don't understand. That made me feel I am in the middle of "American style" discussion and it was quite stimulating.
(Yuki Kawakami)