The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan has selected a learning program developed by Soka University as part of a 2009 government initiative supporting institutions of higher learning and their students. Among the objectives of the ministry initiative is to enhance the overall quality of education through the selection and funding of programs created by universities and educational institutions, and spun off for a wide range of social applications.

The latest Soka program to be adopted involves a number of on-campus agencies—including the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, as well as the Common Subject Management Center and respective faculties—working together to develop and institute special programs to support the learning skills of underachieving students. Under the program, students are provided with private tutoring sessions with academic advisors and can access “mini-lessons” digitally broadcast over the campus. Among the program objectives are to improve a student’s grade point average; encourage their desire to learn and develop their self-esteem; promote faculty development initiatives; and develop a peer support framework.

The program is designed to support “introductory education”—or supplementary higher education offered to students in their first year at Soka, not only to facilitate a smoother transition from secondary education but to increase the effectiveness of regular curricular programs.

The education ministry will support the Soka program over a three-year period, beginning from fiscal 2009.