Educating to Work For and With Others

April 6, 2015

Catholic, Jesuit Higher Education and the Future of Global Development

Universities are at the forefront of educating and training future global leaders. Global public service leaders are required to be sensitive and attentive to those voices that are often marginalized. Such a leadership quality is important given the overwhelming power imbalance existing in the globalized world. Universities are uniquely positioned to address this challenge. Today’s world leaders were trained in higher education institutes. The university’s influence on mental and practical capacity cannot be underestimated as youths spend their formative years in these institutions. It is in universities that youths discuss freely and reflect deeply on ethical issues. It is here that young people learn to appreciate the importance of “listening to others.”

Sophia University in Japan was founded on the Catholic social thought premise to educate young people to work in the spirit of “men and women for others and with others.” When President John J. DeGioia of Georgetown University recently visited Sophia University, he showed his appreciation of Sophia’s spirit by stressing the uniqueness of “with others” inserted in the institution’s motto. In order to promote development in a fair and equitable manner, one needs to accept and embrace diverse ways of life and listen to the voices of those receiving help. We need to work not just “for them” but also “with them.”

To this end, universities should strive to create innovative teaching methods and learning environments where one learns to be humble, to listen to and work with those in need. Such training may not be accomplished in a traditional classroom setting alone. Active learning in the field with sufficient time for reflection is another way of achieving this goal. Universities should also provide students with opportunities to understand diverse perspectives and enhance their intercultural learning. For this purpose, the global network of Catholic universities, such as Sophia, can be utilized.

About the Author

Taro Komatsu

Taro Komatsu is a professor in the Department of Education in the Faculty of Human Sciences at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. His research focuses on education policy and administration in developing nations and post-conflict societies. He is particularly interested in the political dimensions and implementation of reform policies, as well as the role of education in promoting social cohesion. Komatsu is also a part of the Berkley Center's Catholic Social Teaching and the Global Future of Development project. He previously worked as an education specialist for the UNESCO Paris and Sarajevo offices, the UN Mission in Kosovo, and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Komatsu holds an M.Sc. in Social Policy and Planning from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Ph.D. in Education Policy and Administration from the University of Minnesota.