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.

Following our previous initiatives in Laos and Cambodia, this latest effort involved one young staff member each from the academic affairs division and research administration division. Under the guidance of a senior expert on international affairs, they paid courtesy visits to partner universities and related institutions in Thailand from 18 to 21 November. They also held information sessions at high schools and universities and participated in an overseas study fair at a high school.

At our partner institutions King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi and Kasetsart University, the staff presented Okayama University’s initiatives at study abroad sessions. We also exchanged views with faculty members and students who had studied in Japan, discussing current mobility schemes and potential areas for further collaboration. Also, during courtesy visits to the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) Thailand Office, Kyoto University ASEAN Center, and ASEAN University Network (AUN), we exchanged information regarding the circumstances of Thai students studying in Japan, the challenges faced by each institution, and study abroad needs. This provided an opportunity to objectively reaffirm our university's appeal and re-examine our initiatives.

Moreover, at the overseas study fair, we introduced our university's distinctive education and research programs, English programs, scholarship systems, and admissions information to over 100 attendees, primarily top-level high school and university students from the region, along with parents and teachers. We engaged in thoughtful, one-on-one conversations with attendees in response to their questions, highlighting our educational programs, support systems, and research environment. Visitors expressed interest, with some stating, “I definitely want to study at Okayama University.” Furthermore, providing explanations in English and communicating with local stakeholders broadened our international perspective. This experience offered invaluable insights, including the on-site atmosphere, that could never be gained through routine work in an office.

Participating in these international activities provided an opportunity for the staff to understand how their individual duties link to the university's international expansion. It yielded numerous insights for future workflow improvements and skill development. Furthermore, by collaborating across different departments to promote our university, it strengthened cooperative frameworks that transcend internal boundaries.

Our university will advance initiatives to enable the entire organization to share and utilize knowledge (explicit knowledge). This will be achieved by comparing the differing responses and needs of local students gained through international training in Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, verbalizing and systematizing the insights and experiences obtained, and organizing them for knowledge sharing through formats such as debriefing sessions. This will promote the advancement and internationalization of our staff, strengthen collaboration, enhance our international expansion primarily in the Asian region, and further develop our education, research, and international exchange activities.

○Participant’s Comments
“Through my activities in Thailand, I was able to hear real opinions from students and teachers who are thinking about studying in Japan. This experience helped me remember the importance of always keeping “the other side” in mind, which is easy to forget when we work only in an office. I also learned an important lesson as an administrative staff how Okayama University should present itself in order to be chosen among many educational institutions around the world.”

“Through the job-sharing program, I had the opportunity to learn firsthand what other universities are doing and to hear local students’ honest opinions about studying in Japan. These experiences allowed me to reflect on Okayama University’s strengths and areas that could be improved from a more global perspective. Participating in on-site presentations and study abroad fair also helped me deepen my understanding of our study-abroad programs and how to communicate them effectively. At the same time, the experience made me more aware of my own challenges, such as my limited English skills and my insufficient knowledge of our university’s systems. I also realized that Okayama University faces a broader challenge: how to effectively promote itself to the international community amid the many appealing universities around the world. I hope to make good use of the insights I gained through this valuable opportunity in my future work.”

【List of participants】
- Ms.Hanaka Oishi, Clerical staff, Industrial-Academic Cooperation Division, Organization for Research and Innovation Strategy
- Mr.Yuki Kawai, Clerical staff, Academic Planning Division, Academic Affairs Department
- Mr.Yusuke NII, Senior Expert Staff, International Affairs Division, Institutional Planning Department