22nd OECD/Japan Seminar

Since 1993, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have held the "OECD/Japan Seminar" to promote international cooperation in the field of education and to contribute to the development of education in Japan through the introduction of OECD education projects and the exchange of information with other OECD member countries.
The 22nd seminar will be an opportunity to report widely the outcomes of the analyses of PISA2022, such as the special characteristics of education in Japan and other countries made evident by the international comparisons, and the transitions in issues shown by the comparisons over time. Furthermore, these outcomes will also provide fertile ground for discussion on the current situation and issues and future direction for Japanese education.
In particular, discussion will be focused on mathematics education since the major domain for PISA 2022 was mathematical literacy as well as on the learning environment, which has changed significantly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of AI. It will also aim to promote evidence-based policymaking on education.

Date: March 14th (Thu), 2024 14:00-17:15 JST
Event Format: Zoom webinar
Participation fee: free
Organisers: Co-organised by MEXT, NIER, OECD
Languages: English-Japanese simultaneous interpretation

The 22nd OECD/Japan Seminar　Registration（Connect to an external site）（Application reception has ended）

※Registration is open until Thursday, March 7. Those who have registered will receive a URL for participation by e-mail. ※Please register one person at a time so that we can keep track of the number of participants.

14:00 Opening: Greetings from MEXT: Ms. Yoko FUJIE

(Senior Deputy of MEXT)

14:05 Opening: Greetings from OECD: Mr. Yoshiki TAKEUCHI

(Deputy Secretary-General, OECD)

14:10 Keynote speeches: Mr. Andreas Schleicher

(Director for the Directorate of Education and Skills, OECD)

14:45 Report from MEXT: Mr. Shiro TERASHIMA

(Director, Office for Assessment of Academic Ability, MEXT)

15:10 Country Case study 1 (Japan): Prof. Keiichi NISHIMURA

(Professor, Department of Mathematics Education, Tokyo Gakugei University)

15:25 Country Case study 2 (Singapore): Mr. Soh Cheow Kian

(Deputy Director and Master Specialist for Mathematics from the Curriculum Planning and Development Division (CPDD), Ministry of Education, Singapore)

15:40 Country Case study 3 (Canada): Ms. Joy King

(Provincial Mathematics Support Specialist for the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada)

15:55 BREAK

16:05 Panel Discussion

Moderator: Prof. Atsushi NAGAO

(Institute Professor, Organization for Innovative Development of Education Human Resources, Tokyo Gakugei University)

Panellists: Mr. Shiro TERASHIMA (JAPAN), Prof. Keiichi NISHIMURA (JAPAN), Mr. Soh Cheow Kian (Singapore), Ms. Joy King (Canada)

17:10 Closing Remarks from NIER: Mr. Yutaka TAKIMOTO

(Director General, National Institute for Educational Policy Research, Japan)

Mr. Andreas Schleicher
(Director for the Directorate of Education and Skills, OECD)

Andreas Schleicher is Director for Education and Skills at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). He initiated and oversees the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and other international instruments that have created a global platform for policy-makers, researchers and educators across nations and cultures to innovate and transform educational policies and practices.

He has worked for over 20 years with ministers and education leaders around the world to improve quality and equity in education. Former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said that Schleicher “understands the global issues and challenges as well as or better than anyone I’ve met, and he tells me the truth” (The Atlantic, July 11). Former UK Secretary of State Michael Gove called Schleicher “the most important man in English education” – even though he is German and lives in France.

Before joining the OECD, he was Director for Analysis at the International Association for Educational Achievement (IEA). He studied Physics in Germany and received a degree in Mathematics and Statistics in Australia. He is the recipient of numerous honours and awards, including the “Theodor Heuss” prize, awarded in the name of the first president of the Federal Republic of Germany for “exemplary democratic engagement”. He holds an honorary Professorship at the University of Heidelberg.

Mr. Shiro TERASHIMA
Director, Office for Assessment of Academic Ability, MEXT

Joined the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in 2001. After working at the Elementary and Secondary Education Bureau, etc., he served as Director of the School Personnel Division , Miyagi Prefectural Board of Education; First Secretary, Embassy of Japan in Thailand; Director, Office for International Strategy Planning, International Affairs Division, Minister's Secretariat; Director National University Corporation Support Division, Higher Education Bureau; Secretary to the Minister in charge of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games and President of Organizing Committee, Director, Educational Human Resources Policy Division, Education Policy Bureau. He currently serves Director of Office for Assessment of Academic Ability, Education Policy Bureau.

Prof. Keiichi NISHIMURA
Professor, Department of Mathematics Education, Tokyo Gakugei University

After working as a mathematics teacher at junior and senior high schools for 16 years, he worked as a senior researcher at National Institute for Educational Policy Research, and is currently a professor at the Graduate School of Education, Tokyo Gakugei University.
He also holds positions such as Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Japan Society of Mathematical Education; Visiting committee member of Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

Mr. Soh Cheow Kian
Deputy Director and Master Specialist for Mathematics from the Curriculum Planning and Development Division (CPDD), Ministry of Education, Singapore

Mr. Soh Cheow Kian is the Deputy Director and Master Specialist for Mathematics from the Curriculum Planning and Development Division (CPDD), Ministry of Education, Singapore.
He oversees the design and review of the national mathematics curriculum, and the implementation of other mathematics education related programmes and efforts under the Ministry. He led the recent reviews of the secondary and pre-university mathematics curriculum. He assumes his current role in 2003.
Mr Soh graduated from National University of Singapore, majoring in Mathematics. He taught in a pre-university institution for 7 years and was a Vice Principal in a secondary school for 2 years.

Ms. Joy King
Provincial Mathematics Support Specialist for the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada

Joy King is the Provincial Mathematics Support Specialist for the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. Joy previously worked as a school administrator of a Primary to Nine school for 9 years, prior to that Joy taught middle school Math for 6 years. She has a Bachelor of Science (Major in Pure Mathematics, Minor in French), a Bachelor of Education (duel endorsement, elementary and secondary), a Master of Education in School Leadership, a Master of Education in inclusive Education, a Certificate in Restorative Justice and a Diploma in Educational Leadership. Joy’s research interests lie within building perseverance, grit and resilience (growth mindset) among learners of mathematics. Her current work centers around the development of a new Mathematics Strategy for the province of Nova Scotia which is driven by provincial assessment scores, PISA results and current research around best practices for mathematics instruction.

Prof. Atsushi NAGAO
Institute Professor, Organization for Innovative Development of Education Human Resources, Tokyo Gakugei University

After working as a teacher at Hiroshima Prefectural Senior High School and Hiroshima University Junior & Senior High School, he worked as a school curriculum researcher (mathematics and arithmetic) at the National Institute for Educational Policy Research (NIER), and a school inspector and chief inspector at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). H, he is currently an Institute Professor, Unit for High School Education Development and Promotion (High School Inquiry Project), Organization for Innovative Development of Education Human Resources, Tokyo Gakugei University.