Five students representing our program participated in the Leading Program for Doctorate Degree Course Forum 2015 held on October 24 and 25, 2015. At the student forum, which was a part of the overall forum, each of us discussed five topics about how the teaching and experiences we have had in the program so far developed our skills and abilities—what we were now able to do and the extent to which we were able to do it. My particular topic was “Linking Up with Industry and Government,” and I had the chance to discuss it with students from programs at other universities. There was a lively exchange of opinion among the students during the two-day event, which made it an extremely meaningful experience. Students in various programs showed an objective understanding of their own program’s positive and negative aspects, leading to effective exchange of opinions. Furthermore, as the overall discussion progressed, I got a really good feeling about how it benefited from every participant’s originality and articulateness in presenting their ideas and how it successfully tested the speakers’ ability to organize a well-laid out argument. All these factors kept the discussion advancing smoothly. Going forward, I hope to get an opportunity to be involved with these participants—the Leading Generation, you could call them—in different ways.

Report: Riku Takahashi (Program Pilot Student)