Japanese

Grand Layout 3.0（2023－2030）

Upon the publication of "Grand Layout 3.0 -Toward 2030-"

Sophia School Corporation Medium-to Long-term Plan
Grand Layout 3.0
2023-2030

Thank you for your support and understanding for the research and education activities at the schools under Sophia School Corporation.

Sophia School Corporation has been implementing its Medium-to Long-term Plan since 2001. The last one (GL2.1) was to go until FY2023. By designing our Medium-to Long-term Plan, Grand Layout 2.1 (GL2.1), and its Action Plans, based on which we plan and implement our annual operating plans.

On the other hand, in response to rapid changes in social trends, including COVID19, the current GL2.1 will be suspended at the end of FY2022 and be replaced by our new Medium-to Long-term Plan, Grand Layout 3.0 (GL3.0), one year earlier than had been originally planned.

Under the slogan "faculty and staff involvement", GL3.0 was developed through repeated wide internal dialogue among management, faculty, and staff. We evaluated the outcomes of GL2.1, acknowledged our mission founded upon the founding spirit and educational philosophy of Sophia School Corporation and its schools.

In order to flexibly implement GL3.0 in response to the changes of the times, we will newly establish an Executive Committee comprising all Trustees, Principals, representatives of staff (Director) under the Board of Trustees. The Committee will provide the support needed as identified in the regular checking of progress made in project implementation at each school. It will bear a coordinating role, promoting each project cross-divisionally. The Committee will lead and manage the PDCA (plan, do, check, action) cycle of implementing GL3.0 and flexibly respond to rapid changes in the circumstances surrounding the School Corporation.

Furthermore, we will maintain the framework of "faculty and staff involvement" in the implementation of GL3.0. This will lead to shared expectations and satisfaction toward the future and thus solidarity among faculty and staff in their participation in the promotion of GL3.0, facilitating collaboration and coordination among different schools and section, promote proactive information and opinion exchange. In addition to this, we will promote GL3.0 through continued appropriate collaboration with the Council and Auditors.

The "10 Commitments toward 2030" identified in GL3.0 expresses our orientation and overall targets to be achieved by 2030. In an era of digital (DX), green (GX) and sustainable (SX) transformation in technologies and projects, we will maintain the basic philosophy of our mission and seek to achieve our "commitment" to Japanese society and the world, appropriately responding to the needs of students, faculty, staff, and society.

May we request your continued support and understanding for our research and education activities and social contribution at each school under Sophia School Corporation.

Sali Augustine, S. J.
Chancellor of Sophia School Corporation

Grand Layout 3.0 Overview / Glossary

GL3.0　Overview

GL3.0　Glossary

Pillars of Efforts and Action plans to achieve GL3.0 by Divisions (University, Junior College, Secondary Schools and Corporation)

Note: １ Major-items （１）Sub-items ①Action plan

Sophia University
Sophia University Junior College
Secondary Schools
Sophia School Corporation

Sophia University

＜General Policy (Toward the Ideal Sophia University)＞

Sophia University expresses its role as "Sophia – Bringing the World Together", and it is striving to fulfill this mission based on its founding principles of "neighborly love" and "internationalization".

Our raison d’être is to continue to be a university that cultivates individuals who make an effort to contribute to education and research for global creative advancement, who share the hopes and suffering of humanity, and who support vulnerable people as stated in our educational spirit of nurturing individuals who live "For Others, With Others".

We believe that Sophia University can demonstrate its expertise by connecting the world, disciplines, and a wide variety of standpoints by virtue of its "Global One Campus", one of the unique features of its education and research environment.

On the other hand, while possessing its strengths in originality and robustness, the University is faced with mounting challenges such as the increasing presence of universities at home and abroad and the accelerating decline in the birthrate.

Considering the turbulent social situation, we must not remain content with the status quo. Instead, we must demonstrate our originality in education, research, and human development, and play a significant role in connecting individuals, society, and the world broadly and flexibly.

In view of the above, we have proposed a basic policy for the new Medium- to long-term plan. The crucial keywords that drive every aspect of Sophia University’s plans are "Pride in Sophia Quality – the Pursuit of Sophia Quality Excelling in All Directions, Contributing to Human Development, Research and the Global Society", and three specific directions were set forth accordingly.

These keywords express the University’s determination to maintain the history, tradition, and spirit cultivated until now as its unwavering core values while addressing innovation for the next generation in a bold and adaptable manner, to relentlessly pursue Sophia University’s original expressions, "the highest wisdom" and "Sophia-ness", to continue to cultivate individuality and to aim to consistently demonstrate its presence as an "outstanding university".

With this basic policy and the three directions in mind, the new Medium-to Long-term Plan and the Action Plan for university departments are integrated into five categories.

＜Basic Principles＞

Pride in Sophia Quality: Pursue "Sophia Quality", excelling in human development, research, and contributing to global society

＜3 Directions＞

  1. Foster Sophians who can walk with Others with a glocal perspective and create the future
    1. (1) Establish Sophian Liberal Education and Learning with an aim to nourish the capacity to continue learning and think and act autonomously
      1. ①Establish Liberal Education and Learning that organically links University-wide General Courses, Language Courses and Departmental Courses, and responds to social circumstances and students' various the career path needs
      2. ②Promote the systematization and enhancement of courses to allow students to design their autonomous learning
      3. ③Reconsider and reconstruct the curricula with a view to reducing the number of courses in order to secure time for studying and depth of learning
      4. ④With a view to creating a graduate school education and system that considers diverse career paths, promote and implement measures that build on the characteristics unique to the graduate school program
    2. (2) Provide opportunities for learning and experiences that will foster multidimensional and comprehensive perspectives; and expand such opportunities worldwide
      1. ①Build various action-based programs that addresses the challenges faced by contemporary society and offer opportunities to as many students as possible
      2. ②Deepen collaborations with universities in Japan and overseas; and promote diverse education and research activities at the undergraduate and graduate level
      3. ③Promote the development and verification of next-generation education; and build a framework for flexible course development
      4. ④Enhance diverse extracurricular activities, including volunteering and educational programs to foster the educational spirit and promote human growth
    3. (3) Achieve multilayered learning among high school students, university students, and adults
      1. ①Develop and implement an educational program that draws on Sophia's unique features and organize a framework that satisfies the thirst for knowledge, regardless of age and nationality
  2. Promote world-class research that contributes to global society and establish a research hub that serves such purposes
    1. (1) Promote high-level research and enhance human and institutional organizations to support such research
      1. ①Establish an administrative organization that comprehensively supports high-level transdisciplinary research from application to adoption
      2. ②Enhance measure to encourage international joint research
      3. ③Appoint URAs to support and promote research resource mobilization, matching and implementation
      4. ④Secure time for professors to engage in research by considering better balanced time allocation for education, research, university management, and social action
      5. ⑤Formulate a medium-to long-term research plan at research institutes and affiliated institutes and establish a monitoring system
    2. (2) Promote research that addresses the challenges of the times and society drawing upon Sophia's unique features
      1. ①Promote world-class research that not only addresses timely and social needs but also contributes to solving issues addressed by the contemporary Catholic Church or the Society of Jesus
      2. ②Promote transdisciplinary research through collaboration among diverse fields and organizations
      3. ③Build a research hub that draws upon Sophia's unique features, taking full advantage of existing international research networks
      4. ④Enhance publication and communication of research results and enhance our reputation in research power
    3. (3) Facilitate support for young researchers and female researchers
      1. ①Enhance support programs for young researchers, including doctoral degree students, and female researchers
      2. ②Organize an educational and support system that observes research ethics, research integrity, and relevant laws and regulations
  3. Establish a Global One Campus that achieves high sustainability
    1. (1) Establish an environment where diversity is respected and all members with different backgrounds can learn and work in comfort
      1. ①Establish a discrimination-free, bias-free, and harassment-free campus that is comfortable for everyone
      2. ②Provide opportunities for exchange among diverse students, drawing upon the unique features of One Campus
      3. ③Create and inclusive campus environment
      4. ④Build a career support program that allows each student to exert their individuality and forge their own paths in life
    2. (2) Enhance the organizational structure for sustainability promotion and increase efforts
      1. ①Organize a support system that helps diverse students lead a physically and mentally healthy student life
      2. ②Design a scholarship program that flexibly responds to changes in students' learning and social situations
      3. ③Build a scheme that facilitates the implementation of new efforts proposed by students and a collaborative framework engaging students, faculty, and staff
    3. (3) Enhance global hub campus functions and implement cutting-edge ICT-based campus environment improvements
      1. ①Implement ICT-based data management for improved student services and enhanced environmental considerations
      2. ②Enhance the online education environment and promote digital transformation in education in line with ICT advancements (e.g. introduce new educational environments)
      3. ③Promote digital transformation (DX) in research data management, research infrastructure improvement, and research community building
      4. ④Enhance Library functions, including its functions to collect, accumulate, and provide academic information
  4. Strengthen partnerships with global society and diverse stakeholders
    1. (1) Enhance dialogue with various stakeholders
      1. ①Promote stakeholder engagement, including enhancing alumni networks
      2. ②Contribute to local government as a local hub for knowledge and action
    2. (2) Implement reputation management through enhancement of IR (Institutional Research) and public relations functions
      1. ①Make decisions and verifications based on IR-based evidence
      2. ②Promote strategic efforts for improved global reputation
      3. ③Promote efforts to secure student candidates with high ambitions and expand student diversity
      4. ④Promote efforts to strengthen partnerships with the four Jesuit secondary schools and other secondary education institutions in Japan and overseas
    3. (3) Proactively promote collaboration with industry, government, and civil society with a view to solve social challenges
      1. ①Contribute to solving social challenges by promoting pioneering efforts in collaborating with the local community, private companies, and various organizations
      2. ②Deepen partnerships with Catholic and Jesuit universities and promote efforts to solve the challenges faced by the global community through education and research
  5. Establish an organizational and financial foundation that strongly supports sustainable development
    1. (1) Establish an research and education organization that realizes Sophia Quality
      1. ①Consider the ideal vision of an academic organization that can firmly promote the GL3.0
      2. ②Coordinate and support education and research, increase faculty and staff specializing in promoting the GL3.0, and design a scheme to reduce the burden shouldered by faculty members engaged in special missions in education, research, social action, and university management
      3. ③Make efforts to enhance understanding toward various university measures and activate communication among different faculties, different administrative sections, and faculty and staff
      4. ④Establish a PDCA cycle management scheme to ensure the quality of education and research
    2. (2) Balance investment in sustainable development and healthy university management to achieve an autonomous financial and personnel system with short, medium-, and long-term visions
      1. ①Clarify the priority order of various measures and establish a management system for business resources that serve sustainable university operations
      2. ②Build a framework for university operations based on collaboration between faculty and staff and strategically allocate managerial resources to projects undertaken by the university
      3. ③Review the medium-to long-term personnel expenses management in the higher education division
      4. ④Optimally allocate educational resources
    3. (3) Propose projects and procure funds to enhance new developments in research and education, student life, and social action
      1. ①Create human and financial resources for new developments in research and education, student life, and social action
      2. ②Enhance the framework for developing educational programs and acquiring donations in order to diversify revenue sources

Sophia University Junior College

  1. Implement research and education activities that aim to solve local issues
    1. ①Enhance educational programs that promote multicultural coexistence
    2. ②Enhance service learning activities for multicultural coexistence
    3. ③Ensure the promotion of internal joint projects focused on multicultural coexistence
  2. Enhance educational programs that enable students to choose their career paths
    1. ①Improve English proficiency to levels required by private companies and for university admissions
    2. ②Enhance career courses
    3. ③Enhance individual consultations on career paths
    4. ④Enhance English programs that focus on finding solutions to global issues
    5. ⑤Foster reading and writing skills with an aim to let students acquire educated knowledge and the basic skills required as a responsible member of society
    6. ⑥Understand the needs of society and reflect them on curricula
  3. Improve the environment for stable school operations
    1. ①Share and standardize measures across the School Corporation to improve the learning environment in way that achieves greater educational effects
    2. ②Enhance non-operational revenues to promote campus use

Secondary Schools

＜＜Basic Principles Common to the 4-Schools＞＞

  1. Continue to be a Jesuit school
  2. Continue to be an attractive school to the local community
  3. Establish a well-organized educational environment and personnel framework

＜＜4-Schools Common Issues＞＞

  1. Perform school administration according to the 10 identifiers of Jesuit schools
    1. (1) Jesuit Schools are committed to being Catholic and to offer in-depth faith formation in dialogue with other religions and worldviews
      AP1
      Create an atmosphere in the school so that students can participate in the decision-making process (joint identification) in a sound manner
      AP2
      Practice ethical and religious education so that students can learn Christian values and universal values
    2. (2) Jesuit Schools are committed to creating a Safe and Healthy Environment for all
      AP3
      Create a school environment free of harassment
      AP4
      Examine the work style of faculty and staff
      AP5
      Promote thorough Cura Personalis
    3. (3) Jesuit Schools are committed to Global Citizenship
      AP6
      Construct a curriculum capable of enabling students to learn the meaning of and problems related to globalization
      AP7
      Create opportunities for students to experience globalization around the world
      AP8
      Enhance the English conversation ability of students
      AP9
      Create opportunities for students to understand that many social problems are global and think of ways to solve them
    4. (4) Jesuit Schools are committed to the Care of all Creation
      AP10
      Create a curriculum to allow students to learn about the global environment in depth
      AP11
      Put into practice activities aimed at global environmental conservation
    5. (5) Jesuit Schools are committed to justice
      AP12
      Create opportunities to learn the true meaning of "For Others, With Others"
      AP13
      Create opportunities for direct contact with people referred to as "Others"
      AP14
      Study in depth why people referred to as "Others" emerge and create a forum to consider what measures are available to resolve the problems "Others" experience
    6. (6) Jesuit Schools are committed to being Accessible to All
      AP15
      Examine the appropriateness of school fees
      AP16
      Enhance scholarships
      AP17
      Consider ways to make the school more open to local people
    7. (7) Jesuit Schools are committed to Interculturality
      AP18
      Provide opportunities to study Japan’s culture in depth and learn about the diverse cultures of the world
    8. (8) Jesuit Schools are committed to being a Global Network at the service of the Mission
      AP19
      Actively utilize and participate in the "Educate Magis" activities of the Jesuit School
      AP20
      Actively connect to the Network with appropriate educational and other institutions outside of the Jesuit School relationship
    9. (9) Jesuit Schools are committed to human excellence
      AP21
      Create a 6-year educational program to enable students to acquire the "4 C’s"
    10. (10) Jesuit Schools are committed to life-long learning
      AP22
      Create an organization to enable students to maintain their relationship with the school after graduation.
      AP23
      Provide opportunities for students to reflect on and share what they learned at school through class/grade reunions, etc.
      AP24
      Establish ties with Jesuit alumni organizations in Japan and around the world to share information on Jesuit education
  2. Carry on Jesuit education and train Jesuit educators
    1. (1) Offer opportunities to train Jesuit educators, collect materials, and plan and implement training sessions, etc.
      AP25
      Provide at least one faculty or staff member with professional learning opportunities in Jesuit education
      AP26
      Work with the Catholic Jesuit Center to enrich resources for learning about Jesuit education and create opportunities for training as needed
      AP27
      Perform ongoing training sessions led by the Jesuit Secondary Education Promotion Committee (JSEC)
  3. Stay connected with Sophia University
    1. (1) Provide opportunities for students studying at Jesuit schools to acquire "Ignatian Leadership" and to actively utilize Sophia University's resources
      AP28
      Collaborate with various faculties to create opportunities for students to learn specialized knowledge while in school
      AP29
      Provide opportunities to learn about and experience various issues around the world in collaboration with research institutions within the university, such as the Asian Human Resource Development Research Center

＜＜School-Specific Issues＞＞　※APs are not disclosed

＜Eiko Gakuen Junior and Senior High School＞
  1. Ensure that the school is chosen based on a better understanding of its educational goals and content, as well as the school's facilities and other unique features
  2. Improve the educational environment based on a repair plan for school facilities
  3. Review and examine the school's internal rules and regulations in areas that need to adapt to the changing times
＜Rokko Junior/Senior High School＞
  1. Continually be a school of choice based on a better understanding of our educational goals and content, as well as our school facilities and other unique features
  2. Review and consider the school regulations, etc., for areas that need to adapt to the changing times
  3. Improve the educational environment based on a repair plan for school facilities
＜Hiroshima Gakuin Junior and Senior High School＞
  1. Become a school that realizes students' career aspirations (always strive to improve students' academic performance / lead them to an understanding of "Men for Others")
  2. Become a lively school (create opportunities for various challenges)
  3. Become a school where each student feels that he can "belong here" (focus as much attention as possible on each student's unique characteristics and circumstances)
  4. Make effective use of ICT (ICT members will take the lead in considering and promoting the effective use of ICT)
  5. Promote retrofitting measures for ageing facilities and equipment
＜Sophia Fukuoka Junior-Senior High School＞
  1. Become a school where 25% of high school seniors are accepted by public universities as active students
    1. (1) Improve the quality of the syllabus and classes
    2. (2) Increase the number of students who pass the science course by strengthening science skills
  2. Renovate the first floor of the special building to improve the educational environment
  3. Systematically hire the maximum number of full-time faculty members within an appropriate range for the budget size (aiming at 8 faculty members belonging to a grade level)
  4. Prepare for the 100th anniversary of foundation (2032) (finalize the outline of commemorative events and proceed with preparations)

Sophia School Corporation

  1. Contribute to a sustainable society and strengthen the framework for fulfilling social responsibilities
    1. (1) Pass down and spread Catholic Jesuit education
      1. ①Consider and practice training programs to foster leaders of the Society of Jesus and Jesuit education
      2. ②Strengthen the framework of the Catholic Jesuit Center and enhance its activities
      3. ③Enhance partnerships among the Society of Jesus and schools
    2. (2) Understand, pass down and spread the history of Sophia School Corporation and its schools
      1. ①Continue the collection and organization of archives on Sophia University and the four secondary schools, promote their digitalization, and foster archivists
      2. ②Harness archives to edit and publish our school history; and consider and implement educational and training programs on our school history using such resources
      3. ③Harness archives to enhance proactive communications to stakeholders, local community, and society, as well increase opportunities for communication
    3. (3) Refine management decisions (IR-based management and flexible and prompt decision making)
      1. ①Establish a framework and process for promoting the Grand Layout; in particular, appropriately manage progress and introduce a flexible review process in response to environmental change
      2. ②Achieve IR-based management by fostering IR-oriented faculty and staff and practicing IR-based EBDM (evidence-based decision making) in decision-making processes
      3. ③Consider educational and support frameworks that accommodate social change
    4. (4) Enhance governance and commit to compliance and risk management
      1. ①Promote the clarification of authority and roles and visualization of decision making processes; and therefore establish a school corporation management system in which internal control effectively functions
      2. ②Foster managerial personnel in charge of corporate and school operations
      3. ③Commit to and practice compliance
      4. ④Promote systematic and planned risk management （preparation of anti-risk measures, including preventive measures) and pursue improved precision
    5. (5) Enhance stakeholder partnerships (strengthen ties and achieve continued and effective communication)
      1. ①Consider new collaborative projects with local governments, private companies, and various organizations and promote local and social action
      2. ②Reconsider methods and media for announcing information and promote strategic public relations
      3. ③Set up a framework for collecting, managing, and announcing information within the school corporation
      4. ④Facilitate dialogue between alumni and peers, and implement collaborative projects and educational programs
  2. Organize a reassuring, safe, and comfortable campus environment that supports rich learning
    1. (1) Achieve an organization and culture that appreciates each individual, offering support for all people
      1. ①Implement new measure to achieve universal design
      2. ②Further promote DEI&B
      3. ③Implement projects and programs that contribute to changed awareness among faculty, staff, and students
    2. (2) Organize a inclusive and sustainable school/working environment (facilities, equipment, etc.) (in view of Laudato Si)
      1. ①Achieve a school environment that contributes to GX, SX, and solutions to global environmental issues, including addressing carbon neutrality
      2. ②Organize and operate facilities and equipment that is reassuring, safe and comfortable for all people
      3. ③Propose and implement refurbishment plans in line with aging buildings
      4. ④Promote DX in each school
  3. Further enhance the financial foundation, which enables the sustainable development of education and research
    1. (1) Secure financial resources for scholarship funds, campus organization, and strategic education & research projects
      1. ①Enhance funds for student support and research facilitation
      2. ②Increase depreciation funds for reassuring, safe and comfortable campus improvements
    2. (2) Secure a balance of current accounts that enables a stronger financial foundation (optimize the revenues and gains balance)
      1. ①Secure stable revenues and formulate a budget that aims to realize an optimized balance of current accounts
      2. ②Implement proactive donation activities
      3. ③Secure revenue others than student fees
      4. ④Engage in constant expenditure cuts
  4. Implement a personnel policy that increases organizational power
    1. (1) Develop new organizations and systems that will enhance education and research power at each school
      1. ①Secure diverse human resources and support the Grand Layout 3.0 for the academic organization
      2. ②Implement measures that will improve the performance of staff members promoting the education and research, school administration, and social action that Sophia School Corporation aims to achieve, and enhance the support function of management
      3. ③Enhance the sense of belonging among faculty and staff
    2. (2) Formulate and implement a personnel plan that considers the future financial situation
      1. ①Implement personnel measures that serve the sustainable development of Sophia School Corporation
      2. ②Support the implementation of personnel plans that serve the development of Sophia School Corporation and Sophia University, etc.
      3. ③Implement personnel measures that consider labor administration trends
    3. (3) Deepen collaboration between the Secondary Schools Division and the Higher Education Division
      1. ①Address issues related to personnel and labor management
      2. ②Enhance the functions of the Secondary Schools Division Administration Office

Grand Layout 3.0 -Toward 2030-