Achieving DE&I at UOsaka -- A Comprehensive Package for the Enhancement of Women’s Education
The University of Osaka is working to broaden the participation of women in academia through the development of an educational environment where diverse students can fully realize their interests and abilities.
To create an environment in which gender does not limit students’ choices in learning, research, or future career paths at the university, continuous support is required from the pre-admission stage through to post-enrollment. In addition to improving the overall environment, it is important to recognize that the proportion of women researchers still remains low in some academic fields. In such fields, it is particularly essential to provide comprehensive support, including accessible role models and both structural and interpersonal support that enables continued study and research.
This page outlines the key initiatives undertaken by UOsaka to enhance educational framework for female students, with a particular focus on initiatives that support educational progression, learning, and career development in the natural sciences from the pre-admission stage through to post-enrollment.
1. Cultivating Early Interest Before Academic and Career Choices
Target groups: elementary, junior high, and high school students (open to all gender), parents/guardians, and educators
Future career paths are not determined at the point of university entrance exams. It is important for students from elementary through high school to engage in science, technology, and manufacturing, and to develop their interests in order to expand their future learning paths.
Through initiatives that connect elementary, junior high, high school, and university education, UOsaka provides learning environments where students can engage with science and experience the joy of inquiry. In addition, a network for female students in natural sciences at UOsaka “asiam” holds events and academic consultation sessions for elementary through high school students to address the appeal of science, while also fostering outreach and exchange activities rooted in the participants’ own experiences.
Future career paths are not determined at the point of university entrance exams. It is important for students from elementary through high school to engage in science, technology, and manufacturing, and to develop their interests in order to expand their future learning paths.
Through initiatives that connect elementary, junior high, high school, and university education, UOsaka provides learning environments where students can engage with science and experience the joy of inquiry. In addition, a network for female students in natural sciences at UOsaka “asiam” holds events and academic consultation sessions for elementary through high school students to address the appeal of science, while also fostering outreach and exchange activities rooted in the participants’ own experiences.
2. Supporting Career Choices by Sharing Information and Role Models
Target groups: female junior and senior high school students/prospective university applicants
Experience and words from those in similar situations help guide career choices. In particular, in fields where women are underrepresented, it can be difficult to find relatable role models, making it harder to form a concrete image of university studies and subsequent career paths.
UOsaka provides opportunities for information sharing and interaction so that female students and alumnae can be made more visible, helping junior and senior high school students and prospective applicants to envision their own future paths. Through brochures and other materials, UOsaka provides information that helps ease concerns about career choices and encourages students to take their first steps toward their own paths.
Experience and words from those in similar situations help guide career choices. In particular, in fields where women are underrepresented, it can be difficult to find relatable role models, making it harder to form a concrete image of university studies and subsequent career paths.
UOsaka provides opportunities for information sharing and interaction so that female students and alumnae can be made more visible, helping junior and senior high school students and prospective applicants to envision their own future paths. Through brochures and other materials, UOsaka provides information that helps ease concerns about career choices and encourages students to take their first steps toward their own paths.
3. Support Programs for Admission and Enrollment
Target groups: female prospective students considering admission to science and engineering at UOsaka
UOsaka offers an financial aid to encourage female students to pursue science and engineering programs and to support their learning and is also working to establish distinctive admission systems that consider the circumstances of each field and specific educational needs.
Through these initiatives, UOsaka is working to create an environment in which female students with an interest in science and engineering can fully demonstrate their abilities and begin their university studies with peace of mind.
UOsaka offers an financial aid to encourage female students to pursue science and engineering programs and to support their learning and is also working to establish distinctive admission systems that consider the circumstances of each field and specific educational needs.
Through these initiatives, UOsaka is working to create an environment in which female students with an interest in science and engineering can fully demonstrate their abilities and begin their university studies with peace of mind.
4. Networking and Career Development Support after Enrollment
Target groups: female Students at UOsaka (undergraduate and graduate students)
Enrollment is the starting point for new learning and career development. In order to continue learning at university, deepen expertise, and shape a future career, it is important to have connections with peers and senior students in the same academic field, as well as active role models in society.
UOsaka provides opportunities to build networks among female students, particularly in the natural sciences, to interact with female researchers and engineers active in society, and to develop leadership skills across disciplines. Through connections with diverse people both within and outside the university, UOsaka is working to foster an environment that enables students to develop their expertise, leadership, and career potential.
Enrollment is the starting point for new learning and career development. In order to continue learning at university, deepen expertise, and shape a future career, it is important to have connections with peers and senior students in the same academic field, as well as active role models in society.
UOsaka provides opportunities to build networks among female students, particularly in the natural sciences, to interact with female researchers and engineers active in society, and to develop leadership skills across disciplines. Through connections with diverse people both within and outside the university, UOsaka is working to foster an environment that enables students to develop their expertise, leadership, and career potential.
5. Creating a Well-being Environment to Support Learning
Target groups: students who menstruate
To enable students to fully concentrate on their studies and research, it is important not only to provide opportunities for classes and research, but also to ensure an environment in which they can feel secure and comfortable in their daily campus life.
UOsaka is promoting an initiative to provide free sanitary products in restrooms to help reduce the psychological and financial burden associated with menstruation, ensuring that anyone can use them without hesitation.
6. Supporting the Balance of Studies and Life Events
Target groups: students engaged in studies and research while raising children (open to all genders)
Student life and research activities are closely related to life events. For students who are engaged in studies and research while raising children, access to a supportive environment they can rely on is essential to continue their studies and plan their future careers.
UOsaka has established childcare-related services and on-campus facilities that are available to students who study and research while raising children, regardless of gender.
Student life and research activities are closely related to life events. For students who are engaged in studies and research while raising children, access to a supportive environment they can rely on is essential to continue their studies and plan their future careers.
UOsaka has established childcare-related services and on-campus facilities that are available to students who study and research while raising children, regardless of gender.
7. UOsaka’s Policies Behind These Initiatives
In 2021, UOsaka issued the “Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Declaration,” pledging to promote and firmly establish an environment where diversity is truly embraced and respected.
The Declaration sets forth the goal of developing a fairer environment for learning, research, and working in which all members of UOsaka can fully realize their abilities. The Declaration also states that, as part of its efforts toward gender equality, UOsaka will promote, on a university-wide basis, the appointment of women to managerial positions and decision-making bodies, as well as an increase in the proportion of female students.
On this page, the terms “female students” and “women” are used in light of the challenge of increasing women’s participation in academia; however, the experiences encompassed by these terms are not uniform. UOsaka promotes creating an environment that consider the diversity of gender identities and individual experiences.