On February 20 and 21, as part of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's commissioned project "Model Development Contributing to the Advancement of Teacher Training," the Graduate School of Education at Okayama University held the "Okayama University Graduate School of Education International Forum". Approximately 40 participants, including graduate students, undergraduate students, international students, and university faculty members, attended both in-person and online.

On February 20, during International Forum 1, a session titled "Current Situation and Future Prospects of Teacher Training in Mongolia: The Role of School Leaders in Promoting Continuous Learning for Teachers and School Improvement" took place. The session featured Uuriintuya Dembereldorj, Head of the Department of Lifelong Learning and Distance Education at the Mongolian National University of Education, with whom Okayama University has an inter-university agreement, Ariungerel Sosorburam, Principal of Erdemun Urgoo Complex School in Ulaanbaatar, and Byamba Sukhbaatar, Training Manager, discussing Mongolia's teacher training system, efforts to support teachers' continuous learning, and innovations within and outside schools.

On February 21, during International Forum 2, the discussion focused on "How to Ensure Continuous Learning Opportunities for Teachers in Regional Schools." Ari Widodo, Professor at the Indonesia University of Education, with whom Okayama University has an inter-university agreement, and Uuriintuya, Head of the Department of Lifelong Learning and Distance Education, shared insights into the realities and challenges of teacher training, particularly in rural areas, and presented examples of initiatives aimed at addressing these challenges.

During the post-lecture discussions, attendees, including aspiring teachers, former school administrators, and current school teachers, actively raised questions addressing contemporary educational issues, such as how to stimulate the motivation for continuous learning among busy teachers, how to instill attractiveness in the teaching profession, and how to nurture leader teachers essential to training programs. The discussions continued fervently even after the event concluded.

We hope that this international forum provided meaningful insights and learning opportunities for participants from Mongolia, Indonesia, and Japan, contributing to further development in international cooperation. The Graduate School of Education will continue to foster discussions and collaborative learning on educational issues with stakeholders from schools, with a broad international perspective.