Symposium “The Future of Education in Transforming Societies: Japanese and German Perspectives”
Education has always been a policy field of contested principles and ideals. School education plays a vital role in equipping young people with the skills they need to grow up and become responsible members of society.
At the same time, shifting geopolitics, growing insecurity, and widening societal disparities, as well as the potential and risks associated with new technologies such as AI, significantly impact the well-being, attitudes, and future life and career prospects of today’s schoolchildren. We are therefore called upon to reconsider the future direction of education.
Can a more human-centric approach to education provide students with the necessary foundations — such as confidence, resilience, and empathy — to help them overcome social divisions and navigate AI amid major social transformation? What innovative approaches to school education are needed to place greater value on soft skills such as self-esteem and ethics?
This symposium will explore the role of education in a rapidly changing society from both Japanese and German perspectives. Part 1 will provide an overview of the current state of education systems in Japan and Germany, and identify shared challenges facing education policy and school education. The subsequent sessions will focus on concrete practices from the classroom.
Japanese presenters will discuss educational approaches that emphasise dialogue as students face uncertainty and dialogue-based learning through art. German presenters will discuss inclusive school education in a migrant society and the possibilities of using AI to enhance classroom learning. Researchers and educators from both countries will participate and engage in wide-ranging discussions about the current state of education, the challenges it faces, and its future potential.
For an overview of past symposia and joint projects with the Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB), please visit the page below.
The Japan Foundation - Symposia Co-organized with the Japanese-German Center Berlin
| Date | Thursday, 19 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Time | 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (JST) / 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (CET) |
| Venue |
Online live streaming (a recording will be made available at a later date) |
| Languages | Japanese and German (with simultaneous interpretation) |
| Organiser | The Japan Foundation |
| Co-organiser | Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB) |
Program
Session 1: Keynote-Speeches
Jannis Burkhard (Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education)
Presentation title: “Education in Germany: An Overview Based on the National Education Report”
Shirouzu Hajime (Director of the Department for Elementary and Secondary Education Research / Vice Director of the Education Data Science Center, National Institute for Educational Policy Research)
Presentation title: “The Purpose of Japanese School Education and Our Endeavours : Building a Society That Embraces “Not Knowing” as a Starting Point’”
Session 2: Perspectives from Japan — Collaborative Learning Through Dialogue
Hata Ayako (Researcher, Nahomi Institute for the Learning Sciences (CoREF); Teacher, Bunan Senior High School)
Presentation title: “Why We Rush Toward the Correct Answer — How to Search for What We “Don’t Understand”
Hirano Tomoki (Associate Professor, Center for Meta-Learning / Center for university-society Relations and Collaboration, Future University Hakodate)
Presentation title: “Thinking from What We See: Art Appreciation through Discussion”
Perspectives from Germany — School Education in a Migrant Society / Use of New Technologies in the Classroom
Silvio Wende (Head of Social Studies, Friedenau Community School, Berlin)
Presentation title: “Valouring Individual Perspectives and Opening Up Possibilities for All Students Through Active Engagement: A Report from an Inclusive Community School in Berlin”
Hendrik Haverkamp (Teacher and Digitalization Coordinator, Protestant Gymnasium Gütersloh; Co-founder, Institute for Contemporary Examination Culture; Co-director, AI Virtual Competence Center; Co-founder, FelloFish)
Presentation title: “Between Facts, Fake News, and AI-Generated Misinformation: Using AI to Promote Learning in School Education”
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