2014 Volume 29 Issue 2_3 Pages 90-105
Policy discussions, including those in science and technology policy, have long emphasized the importance of the training of expertise to respond to globalization and the development of knowledge-based societies. Simultaneously, it has been increasingly discussed that undergraduate and graduate education should cultivate not just specialized expertise but also other skills and traits, such as the skills to communicate and collaborate with people in other fields, and the awareness of their responsibility and accountability. The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai) has been developing a "science and society" education program that shares some of the above educational goals and has been aiming to cultivate the "broader perspectives" of doctoral students. This paper describes and analyzes the case of the Sokendai program, reviewing the domestic and international trends in "science and society" education at the graduate level. Through this analysis, we discuss the current issues and the future direction of "science and society" education.
