2024.3.6

The 12th SEAMEO-University of Tsukuba Symposium on Educational Applications of Generative AI

 The 12th SEAMEO-University of Tsukuba Symposium was held on February 27 and 28, 2024. After three years of online implementation under the Corona pandemic, the symposium was held in a hybrid format for the first time. Forty participants, led by the directors of SEAMEO's 26 centers, gathered at the University of Tsukuba's Tokyo campus, which served as the on-site venue, to share their knowledge. As a new initiative, simultaneous consecutive interpretation was provided to online participants in Indonesian, Cambodian, Thai, Malay, and Burmese, as well as separately to China, which has a different delivery environment.

 Supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), under the theme "Challenges and Ways Forward in the Era of Generative AI with Reflection on 25 Years of 21st Century Education, " the opening ceremony on January 27th featured Dr Jun Ikeda, Vice President of Global Affairs of University of Tsukuba, Datuk Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim, Director of SEAMEO Secretariat, and Mr. Koji Kitayama, Director, International Affairs Division, Minister's Secretariat, MEXT.
Seven panel sessions and three breakout sessions were conducted related to the theme. In the session under the theme of ESD, Mr. Toshiaki Mizuno, Director, International Affairs Division, Minister's Secretariat, MEXT, gave an overview of the SEAMEO-Japan ESD Awards.

The contributors from the University of Tsukuba are Dr Masami Isoda of the Department of Human Sciences, Dr Nakao Nomura of the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, and Mr Kenichi Yoshida of Sakado High School as speakers while Dr Takahiro Morio of Bureau of Global Initiatives served as a moderator. In the special session of the International Co-curriculum internship SEA-Teacher Program (3rd pilot batch), which was conducted jointly by our university and SEAMEO, Ms Nao Ishihara of the Bureau of Global Initiatives served as facilitator. In addition, Dr Ryosuke Ohniwa from the Department of Medicine announced the JV Campus, and Dr Maki Tsujimura, Director of Branch Campus Preparation Office, announced the newly establishing Campus in Malaysia. At the closing ceremony, Director Habibah of SEAMEO Secretariat confirmed that common issues in further promoting the use of generative AI were shared as the outcome of the conference, and CRICED Director Isoda expressed his gratitude.

 The number of participants registered in advance was 14,380 from 60 countries all over the world, and the number of YouTube views at the end of the event was 12,245 on the first day and 7,286 on the second day. The event was a great success.

※The total number of views on YouTube after the symposium increased from 47,013 for the 11th symposium last year to 111,530 for the 10th symposium the year before last. The 12th symposium is expected to be widely viewed.

URL for Day 1：https://youtube.com/live/YstRHNmVMoQ?feature=share
URL for Day 2：https://youtube.com/live/qRRaEj3tt10?feature=share

※Journal of Southeast Asian Education: Official Journal of SEAMEO invites submissions for a special issue related to this symposium theme.

From the opening ceremony, Vice President Dr Ikeda, Director Datuk Dr Habibah, and Director Mr Kitayama

Onsite participants: Director Mr Kitayama (center), Deputy Director Mr John, Vice President Ikeda, STEM-Ed Center Director Dr Kristachai (former Deputy Executive Director)

Session Scenes

Online speakers at the session pertaining to ESD

Participants of SEA-Teacher international co-curricular session

Participants of SEA-Teacher international co-curricular session with SEAMES

＜Related Links＞

The 12th SEAMEO Tsukuba University Symposium Conference Site
https://www.criced.tsukuba.ac.jp/math/seameo/2024/

Website of Center for Research on International Cooperation in Educational Development, University of Tsukuba
https://www.criced.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/

SEAMEO Secretariat Conference site
https://www.seameo.org/Main_programme/447