On September 29, we held the “Symposium for Reviewing the Acceleration Program for University Education Rebuilding Program (AP Program) (Entrance Exam Reform) – Okayama University Model in Line with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Education” at the Okayama University 50th Anniversary Hall. In fiscal year 2014, we became qualified for the Theme III (Entrance Exam Reform) of the AP Program, promoted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and this year marks the final year of the program. With this background, we held the symposium to review the efforts that we had made so far and to hear comments from the outside.

The symposium began with an opening address by Dr. SANO Hiroshi, Executive Director for Education and Provost. This was followed by the keynote report, “Okayama University Model Framework – Receiving International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Holders in Light of IB Education,” by Dr. TAHARA Makoto, Principal of the Junior and Senior High Schools of Okayama University of Science (former Director of the Admission Center, Okayama University), who spoke about what Okayama University had done in the six years since its selection for the AP Program. Representatives from another university and from IB-certified schools for producing IB diploma holders also spoke about how IB diploma holders were received by universities. Assoc. Prof. TAKEUCHI Masaoki from the Admission Center at Kagoshima University explained the current situation regarding IB entrance exams, which the university had introduced while referring to trailblazers such as Okayama University. Mr. FUKUSHIMA Kosuke, a teacher at Ritsumeikan Uji Junior and Senior High School, spoke about how IB diploma holders selected universities from the perspective of Article 1 schools (i.e., schools specified in Article 1 of the School Education Act, such as kindergartens, elementary schools, junior high schools, senior high schools, and universities), while Ms. ENDO Cram Tomoko and Ms. Victoria Lidzbarski, teachers from Canadian Academy, spoke about the same from the perspective of international schools.

The symposium included a panel discussion, where a wide variety of comments were exchanged regarding what IB diploma holders prioritized when selecting universities and what should be done for universities to receive such students.

At Okayama University, we will further promote IB entrance exams, and encourage the uptake and diffusion of IB entrance exams and IB education.