Since the organization’s name has been decided as “Learning of Tomorrow,” we have also finalized the statement of purpose.

Learning of Tomorrow: Statement of Purpose

　The shortage of IT professionals has been a challenge in Japan for the past 30 years. In recent years, however, as IT has permeated all aspects of society and the economy, demand for IT professionals has been rising not only in the IT and content industries but across all industrial sectors. Combined with a shrinking workforce, this has made securing such talent an even more pressing issue.

　Furthermore, the Fourth Industrial Revolution—driven by AI, IoT, and other technologies—is considered to be the “fifth civilizational transformation” following agriculture,agriculture, industry, and information—and is expected to become a fundamental competency required not only in industry but across all aspects of society, culture, and daily life, enabling everyone to master the use of IT and create new value based on that mastery.

　In 2020, the government announced a policy to establish learning environments in elementary and junior high schools equipped with digital devices and digital textbooks, and indicated its intention to make programming a required subject. An educational environment suited to the new era is also taking shape, including the enhancement of online education at universities, the establishment of professional universities to cultivate IT professionals ready for immediate employment, and the expansion of “lifelong learning” programs.

　The education business sector, driven by private companies, is also becoming increasingly active under the umbrella term “EdTech.” Not only education-focused companies but also firms in telecommunications, IT, gaming, and the toy industry are entering the market one after another to provide hardware and software. The use of apps and digital learning materials is expanding in cram schools, correspondence courses, and at home.There has also been a surge in companies entering the programming education business through initiatives such as opening classrooms and developing teaching materials. Services that incorporate big data—such as learning histories—and AI into educational material development are also being offered, leading to a transformation in the environment for home and after-school learning.

　However, Japan lags behind other nations in terms of the digitization and IT integration of education. In elementary schools, there is one device for every six students, and Japan ranks at the lowest level among OECD countries in terms of IT utilization.In addition to improving the IT infrastructure, there are many other challenges, such as curriculum development and teacher training. While other countries are placing emphasis on computer science education—including programming—and STEM education, and are moving toward cloud computing, social media use, and the utilization of big data, Japan lags far behind.

　Furthermore, as the information revolution enters the next stage of digitization and smart technology, there is no doubt that a wave of technological trends—including AI, IoT, robotics, and blockchain—will sweep into the field of education.

　Education has evolved alongside technological advances. The invention of movable-type printing gave rise to textbooks and established the lecture-style classroom as a standard teaching method. In the 20th century, new media such as film, radio, and television were incorporated into education. In the 21st century, IT and AI are transforming the kind of talent society seeks, and this, in turn, is revolutionizing education.

　The new era is one of constant change. It is a society that demands lifelong learning—from children to seniors. We must create learning environments by organically connecting various settings—both inside and outside of schools, as well as in the home, the workplace, and the community.

　We should focus our efforts on developing learning and educational environments and pioneer new frontiers. We should address two key areas—building the infrastructure for IT education and developing cutting-edge AI and IoT education—and pursue both efforts to catch up with global standards and initiatives to lead the world.

　This is also an attempt to envision “Learning of Tomorrow”—a learning environment that transcends the boundaries of traditional schools. It requires a design centered on all learners. To achieve this, it is essential to bring together the collective wisdom of many private-sector stakeholders interested in this field and take action.