At the Private Universities Federation, surrounded by university presidents, I was—for some reason—asked to deliver the keynote speech.

I shared the following story.

■Digital-First, Online-First

At KMD, where I am enrolled, lectures and entrance exams used to require an on-campus presence, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, these shifted online, eliminating the need to go to campus altogether.KMD places a strong emphasis on real-world projects; project-based learning—where students learn, conduct research, and implement solutions in the real world—is at the core of our approach. We believe the entire city can serve as our campus, so we see no need to establish a fixed physical campus. However, achieving this is difficult under the current system. You can’t establish a university without a campus. A gym is mandatory, even if there are no physical education classes.Online libraries are not recognized, so a library with physical books is required. Looking at it now, there are many rules whose purpose—and who they benefit—remains unclear. I believe we must abolish all regulations built on the premise of in-person lectures and rebuild the system from the ground up with an online and digital foundation. Now is the time to do this in pursuit of educational digital transformation (DX).Universities like Minerva University, which are attracting global attention, cannot be established under Japan’s current system. That is why Minerva University’s Asian campus was established in Seoul. If things continue as they are, Japanese universities will be unable to demonstrate international competitiveness.

■What Is Expected of Universities

Universities are now being called upon to demonstrate their competitiveness and justify their existence. Universities have long been expected to fulfill many roles—such as fostering the skills needed to thrive in the international community and providing a liberal arts education—and they have risen to these challenges.However, changes are now required in both the content and methods of education. In terms of content, as we approach Society 5.0, there is a need to develop “ultra-smart” talent capable of adapting to technological changes, as well as to provide vocational training—a demand arising from socioeconomic realities and based on a reflection on the past 30 years, often referred to as the “decline of the Heisei era.”Now that on-the-job training (OJT) at companies is no longer feasible, universities are expected to play a greater role than ever before. Whereas in the past, students spent four years studying the liberal arts and were then “drilled” by companies, graduates are now expected to be ready to contribute immediately upon graduation.

In addition, changes in learning methods are also required.

・As we enter the era of lifelong learning, is a system that requires four years of study after high school graduation still appropriate?

・As opportunities for online learning continue to expand, is it still appropriate to study at just one university?

This raises the question:

OCW was already up and running in 2001, the year I first set foot on the MIT campus. Then, in 2010, Bill Gates stated, “Within five years, the world’s best lectures will be available for free online—far better than studying at any single university.”Last year, Google announced that it would establish online educational courses equivalent to those offered by universities and treat course completers as having a college degree.

In such times, the question is being raised: What should universities be like?

An environment where you can learn anytime, anywhere. “Anytime” doesn’t mean “within a single day,” but rather “over the course of a 100-year life,” and “anywhere” reflects the social demand—driven by the need for social distancing due to the pandemic—that people be able to learn anytime, anywhere, regardless of where they live.

■Learning of Tomorrow and Meta University

I have long been dedicated to the integration of information technology into elementary education, but as we approach Society 5.0, I wanted to develop a new form of education—"Learning of Tomorrow"—so I established the Learning of Tomorrow Association about two years ago.

Ultra-smart technologies—such as IoT, blockchain, and AI—have the potential to bring about changes that will redefine the content, environment, and assessment of learning, including academic subjects, exams, and schools.

In terms of academic subjects, AI will likely enable hyper-personalized learning that spans across disciplines. This will require a reorganization of the curriculum. It could even call into question the content and very existence of standardized tests and the national curriculum guidelines.

Furthermore, by storing all learning records on the blockchain, there will likely be no need for exams. This will raise questions about the very nature of college entrance exams.

These changes will make it possible to design learning environments that transcend the boundaries of educational institutions, such as grade levels and schools. They may even lead us to question the very nature of the school system itself.

The same goes for universities. Last year, we launched “Meta University,” a program in which a panel of Japan’s leading instructors—drawing from beyond the confines of traditional universities—teach the knowledge essential for next-generation management, including AI, IoT, big data, design thinking, and innovation management.

I mentioned that “Learning of Tomorrow” has the potential to bring about changes that reexamine the content, environment, and assessment of learning. In light of those three elements, here’s what I’m thinking we’d like to achieve at a “Meta University”:

I wrote about that on this page.

Blockchain and Education

That's what I'm hoping to achieve.

I can’t help but wonder if this system would make individual universities obsolete. At the very least, I think we’re entering an era where learning histories are taking precedence over diplomas, and society is moving in that direction.

■The Value Provided by Universities

On the other hand, as for the question, “Will universities disappear?”—that’s unlikely to happen.

So, what is expected of universities? First, I believe there are two essential elements: “space” and “community.”

What can only be done on that campus. It doesn’t have to be a building—it could just as easily be that town. We must offer the value of a real-world location.

Another factor is the community—the network of people unique to that university. That is what creates a sense of belonging.

However, if it were merely a matter of providing a space and a community, there would be no need for a university. The very reason for a university's existence lies in its ability to generate new value from those elements.

Space + Community → Value Creation

Value can take many forms, such as a vision that guides society, scientific knowledge, or the provision of programs that address social needs.

If those three elements are present, it will continue; if not, it won’t. If classes are solely about imparting knowledge, they can be replaced by online learning.

In that regard, the Media Lab was extremely insightful. First, I felt that a physical space like this offers an ideal learning environment and a wellspring of creativity. It’s an open, beautifully designed space—an environment like a toy box where you can start creating the moment inspiration strikes. They had created an environment that can only be found here.

I also felt that the Media Lab’s community was its driving force. It was a community boasting the world’s deepest level of expertise, with members representing a wide variety of genders, ages, backgrounds, and fields of specialization. It served as a successful model for industry-academia collaboration, with nearly 200 companies, government agencies, and international organizations from around the world providing annual sponsorship of over 20 million yen to conduct research together.Students not only attended classes tuition-free but also received a salary while studying and conducting research. In return, competition was fierce, and failure to generate new value for the sponsors meant being cut from the program. With constant turnover among the faculty as well, it was a lab where you could truly feel the rapid pace of change.

And activities that constantly explore the intersection of technology and society. In other words, I was drawn to a community that boasts a wide range of expertise and diversity, encompassing both industry and academia.

It also continued to put forward a vision for a future digital society. However, looking back, it was also a closed community. I think it would have been even better if we had incorporated a perspective of open innovation into that.

It is often said that education has remained unchanged for 150 years, but we are now approaching a turning point. External pressures stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic have created momentum for reform. I feel that the future of education hinges on whether or not we can capitalize on this opportunity.

So, I really need to get on with my Meta University applications.