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In recent years, the environment surrounding university students has been undergoing significant change within what is often described as a VUCA era—marked by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. Alongside increasingly diverse academic backgrounds, the rapid advancement of AI and other digital technologies has enabled instant access to information, while concerns have grown regarding a decline in face‑to‑face communication skills. As AI increasingly performs tasks such as writing and information processing, the ability to clearly express one’s intentions and collaborate with others to solve problems has become more essential than ever. Communication skills have long been regarded as one of the most important competencies in corporate recruitment, underscoring the need for systematic development within higher education.
To address these societal demands, Fukuoka Institute of Technology established a set of Information Processing and Communication courses in the Department of Electrical Engineering in 2007. I have been involved in the curriculum design from the beginning, working to cultivate communication skills alongside students’ specialized studies. This initiative expanded in 2012 into university‑wide courses—Career Development and Foundations of Communication—creating a structure through which all students can learn these skills systematically.
With the launch of a new liberal arts curriculum in 2018, I developed and taught core subjects such as Knowledge and Liberal Arts and Psychology of Communication. In 2023, the Center for Liberal Arts Development was established, and I created two new required courses: Career Design and Communication Design. In addition, the elective course Psychology now incorporates discussion‑based learning methods that deepen both self‑understanding and mutual understanding through dialogue among students.
Since 2022, the university has also participated in PARKS, where I serve as the university representative in promoting entrepreneurship education. Through collaborative programs with local communities, we support students in identifying social issues and taking action to address them. In my research, I am advancing studies on “adaptive ground rules” that foster communication across both face‑to‑face and remote settings.
Moving forward, I will continue to enhance educational content that responds to the demands of our time, fostering students who learn proactively and transform their individuality into the strength needed to shape their own future.
To address these societal demands, Fukuoka Institute of Technology established a set of Information Processing and Communication courses in the Department of Electrical Engineering in 2007. I have been involved in the curriculum design from the beginning, working to cultivate communication skills alongside students’ specialized studies. This initiative expanded in 2012 into university‑wide courses—Career Development and Foundations of Communication—creating a structure through which all students can learn these skills systematically.
With the launch of a new liberal arts curriculum in 2018, I developed and taught core subjects such as Knowledge and Liberal Arts and Psychology of Communication. In 2023, the Center for Liberal Arts Development was established, and I created two new required courses: Career Design and Communication Design. In addition, the elective course Psychology now incorporates discussion‑based learning methods that deepen both self‑understanding and mutual understanding through dialogue among students.
Since 2022, the university has also participated in PARKS, where I serve as the university representative in promoting entrepreneurship education. Through collaborative programs with local communities, we support students in identifying social issues and taking action to address them. In my research, I am advancing studies on “adaptive ground rules” that foster communication across both face‑to‑face and remote settings.
Moving forward, I will continue to enhance educational content that responds to the demands of our time, fostering students who learn proactively and transform their individuality into the strength needed to shape their own future.
