Outline of GP Education Program
so-called Graduate School GP<Good Practice>, subsidised by Ministry of Education
Three years from April 2007 to March 2010

Name of Education Program

International Theory and Practice CycleOriented Education System

Name of Graduate School

Doshisha University Graduate School of Social
Welfare (Master & Doctor Program)

Professors in Charge of Program

Uzuhashi, T.(chief) ; Kuroki, Y. ; Uenoya, K.;
Koyama, T .; Kihara, K.

This education program was established in the spirit of “Treasure Each and Every Person,”(Joseph Hardy Neesima) with the aim of “putting practice into theory, and putting theory intopractice.” Making use of the extensive, international network and social welfare organizations
built up over these many years, It aims to build an international theory and practice cycle-oriented
education system in its graduate school education of social welfare.

11.

Specific Educational Initiatives

Approaches to social issues and issues related to everyday living that are addressed in at theGraduate School of Social Welfare require the ability to observe, the ability to identify problems,
the ability to conduct empirical analysis, or the ability to carry out practical solutions. Field work
(practical training) at places where social welfare activities are actually being carried out isessential to acquire these skills.
Therefore, the first thing that should be done as a specific educational initiative is to makefield work (practical training) compulsory at various social welfare facilities and organizations. At
the same time, various opportunities to engage in field work overseas should be developed andmade eligible for earning credits. In the Doctor Course, efforts should be made, by holding
international seminars or organizing international joint projects, both of which are primarilypromoted by graduate students, to nurture researchers and highly-specialized professionals whoare capable of actively participating in the international arena.
Second, with the cooperation of the Doshisha University Education & Research Center ofSocial Welfare (Do-ERC-SW) and the Doshisha University Society for the Study of Social
Welfare, regular case conferences and the Supervisor Training Workshop should be held withguest speakers from the frontlines where social welfare is being carried out, in order to cultivate
the future professional skills and motivation of students. Furthermore, graduate students will beable to advance their research and analyzing abilities by participating as research assistants (RA)in education and research projects carried out by Do-ERC-SW. With regard to the internationalseminars that are promoted primarily by graduate students, active involvement in the planning andmanagement of these seminars will provide graduate students with opportunities to cultivate theirskills in planning and managing projects.
The accumulation of the efforts described above holds promise for nurturing not only
researchers but also other human resources, such as advanced social workers or social welfare
supervisors to work inside of Japan, as well as those working in the international community insuch positions as leaders of international NGOs and NPOs or as social welfare coordinators ofinternational organizations.

2.

Establish International Advisory Committee

An International Advisory Committee, comprised of former visiting professors who live
abroad, distinguished guest professors, and professors who are slated to be invited as visiting
professors, should be established. Support and evaluation systems, such as international
symposiums and research and education evaluation systems set up by this committee, will be
implemented to improve and upgrade the systems in place to nurture researchers and highlyspecialized professionals.

3.

Realization of a “Virtuous Cycle of Theory and Practice” by the Doshisha
University Education & Research Center of Social Welfare (Do-ERC-SW)

In November 2007, the Department of Social Welfare at Doshisha University established theDoshisha University Education & Research Center of Social Welfare (Do-ERC-SW) with a GP
grant from MEXT and donations from alumni. In close collaboration with the Doshisha University
Society for the Study of Social Welfare (established in 1986 with a current membership of 500),
which includes among its members many who are active in every field related to social welfare,
the Center organizes several research and education projects (see Reference No. 1), including caseconferences and the Supervisor Training Workshop, and encourages graduate students to take partin them. Following a thorough review of the performance for two years, discussions will be heldon making it possible to earn credits for these projects. The Center will pursue efforts to improve2

and upgrade the ability of students to observe, to identify problems, to conduct empirical analysis,
as well as to carry out practical solutions.

Reference 1)
Education and Research Projects of Do-ERC-SW
1. “Building a Community in Kyoto Through Social Welfare – Social Welfare Plans for theCommunity and Activities for Contributing to the Community” Project, aimed at contributing
to the community (Uenoya)
2.

“International Comparisons of Social Welfare Services and Manpower” Project (Uzuhashi)

3.

“Practical Training Research” Project (Kuga)

4.

“Basic Studies Regarding Career Path in Social Welfare” Project (Koyama)

5.

“Case Studies and Training” Project (Nomura)

6.

“Suicide Prevention in Industrial Mental Health Care: From the Perspective of SocialWorkers” Project (Kihara)

7.

“True State of the Health and Functional Capabilities of Cases in which Support from theNursing Care Insurance System was Required and Transitions in Nursing Care Needs –Involvement of the Care Manager of a Comprehensive Support Center and the Results”
Project (Yamada)

4.

Positioning in the University Overall and Development After Support PeriodEnds1) As a result of these three years of efforts, a system for nurturing researchers and highlyspecialized professionals that is international as well as practical can make a full-fledged start.
Under this program, the International Advisory Committee, which is not offered at any otheruniversities with social welfare programs, will be established, and systems will be built to enable
the full-scale implementation of international seminars that are primarily promoted by graduate
students and the performance of field work overseas.
Furthermore, the permanent establishment of the Do-ERC-SW will systematically ensure the“Virtuous Cycle of Theory and Practice.” These coherent reforms of the curriculum of theGraduate School’s Master and Doctor Program and the implementation structure of the system for
nurturing researchers and highly-specialized professionals hold significant promise for effectively
raising the level of Japanese education and research in social welfare, which are not as advanced
as in other academic fields, from that of simple academic exchange to the level of joint
international research.
The program will make it possible to nurture researchers and highly-specialized professionals
who are capable of responding, from the perspective of social welfare-related fields, to the global
issues of a declining birthrate and aging population that we face in the 21st century.
2)

Even after the program comes to an end, by continuing to invite visiting professors every
year and by extending invitations to distinguished guest professors, it will be possible toalways teach the latest trends in international social welfare at the Graduate School.

Furthermore, it will be possible to nurture and effectively use the TAs in the overseas practicaltraining for the field work done for the Graduate School program, as well as in the practicaltraining for international social welfare in the undergraduate program. Even after this program
comes to an end, plans call for the Do-ERC-SW to remain, and for the Center to continue to3

provide graduate students with “Virtuous Cycle of Theory and Practice” and opportunities to
conduct research.

Reference 2)

Developments in the 2007 School Year

1.

Commemorative conference given at the inauguration of the Doshisha University Education& Research Center of Social Welfare (December 8, 2007), attended by 200 people
Uzuhashi, Takafumi (Doshisha University), “On the Occasion of the Inauguration of theCenter”
Lecture 1: Iwata, Masami (Professor of Japan Women’s University), “The Significance ofthe Study of Social Welfare”
Lecture 2: Takegawa, Shogo (Professor of University of Tokyo), “Studies on Social Policies
in the Future”

2.

Doshisha University International Conference on Social Welfare (November 9, 2007),attended by 40 people
Theme: Society and Social Policies in China
Lecturer 1: Lin Ka (Professor of Nanjing University), “Development of Social Policies inChina and Studies of International Social Policies”
Lecturer 2: Xiaohong Zhou (Professor of Nanjing University), “China’s Middle Class”

3.

Doshisha University International Conference on Social Welfare (January 25, 2008), attended
by 30 people
Hou-Sheng Chan (Professor of National Taiwan University, Former President of Taiwan
Association of Social Policy), “Recent Trends in Social Welfare in Taiwan”

4.

Case conferences (March 8, 2008)

5.

International Conference on Social Welfare and Social Policies (March 12, 2008)“Frontiers in Research of Social Welfare and Social Policies”

6.

Supervisor Training Workshop (March 14 and 15, 2008)4