- Business Overview
- Outline of the event
- Contents of the training
- Voices of SD Seminar Graduates
- Application
- Inquiries
- Implementation Report
Business Overview
The environment surrounding universities is changing drastically, including the further decline in the number of 18-year-olds, the advent of the 100-year lifespan, Society 5.0 due to the sophistication of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the progress of globalization. University staff are required to have the ability to steer the company accurately with an eye on the next generation, to accurately analyze changes in the environment and the needs of society, to reflect them in organizational decision-making, and to realize the social mission of education, research, and social contribution.
The purpose of this SD seminar is to develop human resources who will lead the next generation of each university, with the main target being young and mid-career staff. The decisive difference from the SD program conducted at a single university is that it is a place for “cross-border learning” where people of similar ages from national, public, private universities, and junior colleges gather and work hard for a long period of several months, and strong interaction occurs. In addition, there are public presentations and reports at the end of the program, and it is different from other similar programs in that it is not “just doing it” or “listening all the time”, but rather it is firmly summarized as a policy proposal (business improvement proposal to the workplace, new business proposal, etc.), and there are several support mechanisms for this purpose.
Alumni have commented on their specific achievements and behavioral changes, such as “I was able to network with other university staff with whom I can make lifelong connections,” “I was able to relearn the basics of higher education,” “I was able to collect and summarize information and make recommendations based on facts and logic,” and “I became interested in higher education in general and began to read various reports and industry newspapers.”
It’s only a few months, but it’s only a few months. We hope that you will take on this challenge as a step to improve yourself, improve your strength, and enrich your life as a university employee.
Outline of the event
| meeting place | Campus Plaza Kyoto |
| Capacity | 16 students (documents will be screened based on the application form) |
| target | Those who fall under any of (1) or (2) below (1) Those who have at least 3 years of work experience as a university employee at the time of the start of the SD seminar (2) Those who have work experience before joining the company and whose university determines that they meet the conditions for participation in (1) above. * You will need to submit a letter of recommendation separately. |
| Participation Fee | Consortium of Universities Kyoto Member Universities and Junior Colleges: 20,000 yen Other than the above: 60,000 yen * Please note that once the tuition fee has been paid, it cannot be refunded. |
| Application Deadline | be received by Friday, April 25, 2025 |
Organizer: University Consortium Kyoto
Contents of the training
| Date & Time | : Theme & Lecturers | |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Saturday, May 31 13：00-14：30 |
orientation ・Attendance at SD Seminar (Administrative Contact) ・Preparation for taking the SD seminar (messages from graduates) |
| 14：50-17：30 | Academic Writing Fundamentals -How to convert “problem awareness” into concrete “questions”? － Lecturer: Takashi Sakamoto (Associate Professor, Department of General Education, Department of Basic Sciences, Kyoto University of Pharmaceutical Sciences) |
|
| Part 2 | Saturday, June 7 13：50-17：00 |
Academic Literacy and Policy Advocacy Report – Understanding Academic Literacy and Beginning Research – Lecturer: Takamichi Murayama (Associate Professor, Department of Practical Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Kyoto Bunkyo University) |
| 3rd | Saturday, June 14 13：50-17：00 |
University Systems, Laws, and Organizations – Understanding university education-related systems, laws, and organizations for high-quality work – Lecturer: Mr. Tsunetaka Miyabayashi (Director of Academic Affairs Division, Tokyo Metropolitan University Corporation (concurrently serving as Director of Preparation for Establishment)) |
| No.4 | Saturday, June 21 13：50-17：00 |
Universities and Higher Education Policy: Looking at Universities from the Perspective of Higher Education Policy Lecturer: Hiroshi Matsuzaka (MEXT) |
| Vol.5 | Saturday, June 28 13：50-17：00 |
Universities and Society: The Meaning of Regional Cooperation and the Role of Universities Lecturer: Masaho Fukao (Professor, Faculty of Policy Studies, Ryukoku University) |
| No.6 | Saturday, July 5 13：50-17：00 |
Educational Management for Quality Assurance of University Education – Discussion and advice for promoting educational management in your own school – Lecturer: Takero Nishino (Associate Professor, Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Business Administration, Kyoto Tachibana University, Educational Development and Learning Support Office) |
| No.7 | Saturday, July 12 13：50-17：00 |
Collaboration between universities and high schools, and connections between high schools and universities ―Focusing on high school education, thinking about the connection between high school and university― Lecturer: Mr. Katsumi Arase (President, Faculty Support Organization) |
| The 8th Symposium | Saturday, July 19 13：50-17：00 |
University Strategy and Leadership: Creating an Organization that Creates Strategy Lecturer: Hiromichi Yoshitake (President, Tokyo Kasei Gakuin, Professor Emeritus, University of Tsukuba) |
| No.9 | Saturday, July 26 13：50-17：00 |
Branding and Student Recruitment: How to Proceed with University Branding Lecturer: Kenji Kamijo (Professor, Department of Regional Business, Faculty of Business Administration, Aichi Toho University) |
| Debriefing | Saturday, September 13 13:00-18:00Public |
Presentation |
| training | Saturday, September 20 13：50-17：00 |
Public Presentation Follow-up Training Lecturer: Satoru Kanda (Kyoto University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Academic Affairs Division) Junichi Honda (Kyoto Tachibana Gakuen) |
* Instructors’ affiliations and positions are as of April 2025.
* The above implementation time and program are tentative and subject to change.
* The end time of the public presentation varies depending on the number of students.
2025 SD Seminar Application Guidelines [Click here for details]
Voices of SD Seminar Graduates
It is published in Kyomachiya News and SD Guidebook (2025-2026 edition).
Kyomachiya News: Voices of alumni (1)
SD Guidebook (2025-2026 Edition): Voices of Graduates (2) (3)
Application
There are two ways to apply for the course. Please check the precautions on how to apply.
- Institutional application: Application through your university or junior college
- Individual application: Individual application
[How to apply]
| Institutional Application: | Individual Application | |
|---|---|---|
| 【STEP１】 Application |
Please fill out the “Application Form” and apply by e-mail through your university. * If there are multiple applicants from the same university, please fill in the names of the applicants in order of priority in the “Priority Table” and apply together with the “Application Form”. Note: When compiling information at each university, etc., please set an internal consolidation date to meet the following application deadlines. |
Please fill out the “Application Form” and apply by e-mail.
Note: Please check in advance whether your university has adopted an institutional application. |
| Please download the “Application Form” and “Priority Table” form from the [Application Form] below and apply by e-mail attachment. * If you are an individual applicant, you do not need a “priority list”. |
||
| Application: SD■consortium.or.jp (Please replace ■ with @.) ） Subject when sending the email: [2025 SD seminar application] (affiliation, name, etc.) |
||
| Application deadline: Friday, April 25, 2025 | ||
| 【STEP２】 | Document screening will be conducted based on the application form. | |
| 【STEP３】 Availability notice |
Around mid-May, through your university, etc. We will notify you by e-mail. |
We will notify you by e-mail around mid-May. |
| 【STEP４】 Sending relevant documents |
After notifying you of your permission to take the course, we will send you the following relevant documents. ・ Information on attendance ・Invoice for tuition fee ・Syllabus |
|
| 【STEP５】 Tuition fee Payment |
Please transfer the money to the designated account of the Foundation by the specified date. | |
[Application form]
Please download the application form and attach it to SD■consortium.or.jp by e-mail. (Please replace ■ with @.) ）
(1) 2025 SD Seminar Application Form [Click here for details]
(2) 2025 SD Seminar Priority Table [Click here for details]
* If there are multiple applicants from the same university, please fill in the names of the applicants in order of priority in the “Priority Table” and apply together with the “Application Form”.
Sending the application form and contacting us
University Consortium Kyoto, Educational Development Division (SD Project)
E-mail: sd■consortium.or.jp (Please replace ■ with @)
〒600-8216 Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Nishitoin-dori, Shiokoji, Shimo-ku, Kyoto, Campus Plaza Kyoto
TEL：075-353-9163 FAX：075-353-9101
* Reception hours: Tuesday ~ Saturday 9:00 ~ 17:00 (excluding year-end and New Year holidays)
Implementation Report
In addition to orientation, the SD Seminar is a long-term training program in which a total of nine lectures are held every Saturday from late May to late July, and students proceed in parallel with research based on a theme set by themselves. Each lecture consists of three hours, and by combining lectures based on pre-assignments and group work, students aim to deepen their learning through discussions among themselves. In September, a public presentation was held, and after receiving advice, the first draft of the policy recommendation report was submitted in early October, followed by careful reading and individual specific feedback by the SD Training Committee and SD Seminar graduates, and the final version of the “Policy Recommendation Report” was completed in early November.
In Reiwa 7, there were 11 students, a decrease of 2 from the previous year, but a dense learning environment unique to a small class system was formed. From the questionnaire results, the intention of the entire program and the connection between each session were clearly designed, and the group work based on the pre-assignments deepened learning. In addition to systematically learning about topics directly related to university management, such as university organization management, higher education policy, teaching management, and branding, many commented that the lectures by the lecturers with specific examples were useful for considering practical applications.
In addition, through the exchange of opinions and collaborative work with staff from other universities, a human network that transcends the boundaries of universities and departments has been formed. Through dialogue with students with different organizational cultures and positions, I was able to objectively reconsider the current situation of my university, and it was an opportunity to enhance my perspective as a university employee. Through the process of public presentations, policy proposal reports, and feedback, many students realized that their logical thinking skills, academic writing skills, and communication skills had improved.
In the post-course questionnaire, all students answered “satisfied”, and the generous support system from the lecturers, SD training committee members, alumni, and the secretariat was cited as a factor that supported the continuation of learning and the completion of the deliverables. In addition, many people commented that “I have reaffirmed the importance of continuously enhancing my expertise as a university staff” and “I would like to use it to improve my work and make proposals within the university in the future,” and it is expected that the results of the training will spread to practice.
This SD seminar will continue to be conducted as a training that contributes to the purpose of developing staff who will lead the next generation of member schools, and will continue to be implemented while improving the program to make it easier to participate and improve the quality of learning based on the results of the questionnaire.
In addition, as the SD Seminar will reach the milestone of producing its 10th graduates in 2026, we plan to hold a commemorative event aimed at revitalizing the alumni community and disseminating the attractiveness of the program. Through this project, we will further strengthen cooperation among alumni and promote the dissemination of the value of SD seminars through alumni.
