Okayama university introduced a new internal job-sharing program for administrative staff from August 2025. Based on our “Program for Forming Japan’s Peak Research Universities (J-PEAKS)” initiative, the university is advancing the development of “knowledge workers” who are capable of creating new value by leveraging knowledge, possessing flexible responsiveness, and also a broad perspective.

The purpose of this program is to enhance expertise of each staff member by enabling them to experience diverse duties across departmental boundaries, thereby elevating the university's overall organizational strength.

In this very first program, five selected staff from several departments participated in international events held at the Laos Japan Institute (LJI) and the Cambodia Japan Human Resource Development Center (CJCC) from October 14 to 18. On this occasion, our efforts on education and research, scholarship program, admission information were explained to hundreds students who wish to study in Japan from Laos and Cambodia.

This initiative aims to foster the ability to objectively reflect on Japan and universities from an international perspective, while developing globally minded management professionals. Through verbalizing and systematizing the experiences gained, the university seeks to transform them into explicit knowledge that can be shared and utilized throughout the organization.

Led by a senior expert staff of the international affairs division, the participating staff gained hands-on experience through practical international activities with the help of Study in Japan coordinators in Laos and Cambodia.

In Laos, they held discussions with LJI Director Dr.Pongkeo Chanthamary and others regarding international student affairs from Laos. At the Study in Japan Fair held at LJI and the Study in Japan seminar at Hakkeo Academy, they presented our initiatives during information sessions and conducted Q&A sessions with prospective students. They also paid courtesy visits to the Student Affairs Department of the Ministry of Education and Sports and to Dr. Desanul Sengdouane, President of the National University of Laos. Beyond routine duties, activities included meeting with Mr.Akihiko Tanaka, JICA President, at the Study in Japan fair venue.

The process of researching our own university's initiatives and preparing presentations beforehand served as an excellent experience for broadening the staff members' own knowledge and understanding. Furthermore, they collaborated with Professor Naoki Nishino of the Faculty of Environmental, Life and Natural Sciences (Agriculture) along with five undergraduate and graduate students from his laboratory to conduct public relations activities to promote our university. This collaboration enabled them to achieve more effective results and reaffirmed the importance of cooperation in future work.

At the fair venue, we also encountered products jointly developed by Dr. Souliphone, a graduate of our Graduate School of Environmental Life Sciences (Agriculture) in 2021 and Head of the Biology Department at Salavane Teacher Training College, with local enterprises. This provided a tangible sense of our university's research being applied in overseas local industry-academia collaborations.

Interactions with participants from other universities and institutions, as well as local residents, deepened mutual understanding. It also provided a valuable opportunity for members from different departments to share experiences and exchange opinions on the university's international initiatives from multiple perspectives.

○Participant’s Comments
“Through this on-site practice, I was able to directly observe and hear what international students seek and the current situation at other universities. While I often felt my knowledge was insufficient, I also gained insight into how my own duties connect to international affairs. I was delighted that I could apply what I've learned. Furthermore, through collaboration with colleagues from other departments, faculty, and our university students, I learned the pleasure of working from diverse perspectives. I'm glad I participated in this job-sharing program.”

“Through this job-sharing program, I heard firsthand accounts from international students about studying in Japan. Engaging with my colleagues and stakeholders from other universities also allowed me to learn about ‘international affairs and exchange’ from diverse perspectives. It was also a period where I frequently felt my own shortcomings, such as lacking sufficient knowledge about my own university. This experience gave me an opportunity to reconsider what aspects I should focus on in my future work. I am deeply grateful to everyone who supported my participation in this program and intend to apply this valuable experience to my future duties.”

“This job-sharing program provided an invaluable experience, allowing me to directly sense the “background motivations” and “real needs” of prospective international students—a mix of enthusiasm and anxiety—through on-site communication. This was something that I cannot understand in my routine office work. Learning about the strategies other universities employ to attract international students prompted me to take a broader view of Okayama University. And also seeing the perspectives and approaches of my fellow participants from different roles also provided valuable stimulation. This experience has become a catalyst for reflecting on my own “desired future self” and has boosted my motivation."

“This program exposed me to diverse communication scenarios, including English, yielding numerous insights and learnings. Gaining direct understanding of international students' needs and other universities' initiatives, coupled with on-site practice, reaffirmed the importance of faculty-staff collaboration. I intend to leverage this experience for future operational improvements and personal growth. Thank you for this invaluable opportunity.”

【List of participants for the first job-sharing program】
- Ms.Sachi ISHIMURA, Assistant Manager, Academic Affairs Division, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology
- Ms.Shiori KANENO, Clerical staff, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, General Affairs Division, Natural Science and Technology
- Ms.Mami KUMEI, Clerical staff, Academic Affairs Division, Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology
- Ms.Saki TANAKA, Section Manager, Human Resource Division, General Affairs Department
- Ms.Yumiko MORIMOTO, Director, Human Resource Division, General Affairs Department
- Mr.Yusuke NII, Senior Expert Staff, International Affairs Division, Institutional Planning Department