I am Hideki Kozima, the Dean of the Faculty of Education and the Graduate School of Education.

The Faculty of Education at Tohoku University began 75 years ago, in 1949. Reflecting on its history, the Faculty has evolved from a period when it included a teacher training program to becoming one of Japan’s leading research institutions, now specializing in educational research with a master’s program (the first two years of the doctoral course) and a doctoral program (the final three years). Additionally, in recent years, we established a new division in 2018 that deals with areas such as information science, cognitive science, and statistical science, promoting various studies related to education from an interdisciplinary perspective that spans both the humanities and sciences.

　So, what can be learned at the Faculty of Education at Tohoku University? At universities focused on teacher training, the main focus is on learning how to teach children, including the theories and practices involved. In contrast, the Faculty of Education at Tohoku University pursues a deeper understanding of the practice of education, the design of better forms of future education, and the building of a better society through these efforts. Our main themes revolve around understanding what education is, the nature of the human beings involved in it, and the kind of world shaped by these concepts.

　Education, by its very nature, is an activity unique to humankind. Parents teach their children. Teachers educate their students. In turn, children learn from their parents and teachers. Through this active process of teaching and learning, humanity has created stories and tools, and by accumulating these across generations, has built a rich and diverse culture. Questions naturally arise: How has this practice of education developed over history? What systems drive it? How are education and its systems affected by poverty and conflict, and how should we address these challenges? What are the psychological mechanisms that support the act of teaching and learning? What happens when these mechanisms do not function well, such as in cases of developmental disorders, and how can we address these issues? The mission of the Faculty of Education at Tohoku University is to unravel these questions and from there, create the future of education.

　Furthermore, the rapidly advancing field of generative AI and its integration into education has become a pressing issue. The Faculty of Education at Tohoku University includes faculty members specializing in AI, machine learning, neuroscience, and robotics. These perspectives will be essential for designing the education of the future. The Faculty of Education at Tohoku University is characterized by its ability to approach education from various interdisciplinary perspectives spanning the humanities and sciences.

　Additionally, the Faculty of Education and the Graduate School of Education at Tohoku University actively provide international learning opportunities. For example, in the Asia Education Leader Course, students from five educational universities across Asia gather to take classes conducted in English. We are also deepening our collaboration with international organizations related to education, such as UNESCO. Some students have even participated in internships at international organizations overseas.

　In this way, the activities of the Faculty of Education and the Graduate School of Education are expanding across disciplines, beyond the humanities and sciences, and across national borders.

　Education is a unique human endeavor, but it exists wherever there are humans. Your interest may lie in the human mind, in the societies or cultures formed by humans, or perhaps in the past or future of these areas. Being human and the act of teaching and learning are inseparable. Would you like to explore this endeavor from various angles? Would you like to design the future of education and society? I look forward to embarking on this intellectual adventure with you.