Report on: [APIKS Hiroshima 2024] International Conference—Changes in the Academic Profession in the Knowledge-Based Society and International Comparison

Dates: February  3-4, 2024

Venue: Online (Zoom) …… Open to the public

Report contributed by: Professor Futao Huang

The international conference titled “Changes in the Academic Profession in the Knowledge-Based Society and International Comparison” took place at the Research Institute for Higher Education, Hiroshima University from February 3 to 4, 2024. Organized as part of the international collaborative research project Academic Profession in the Knowledge-Based Society (APIKS), involving research teams from over 30 countries, the conference aimed to analyze and discuss various aspects of the changes in the academic profession in the knowledge-based society, primarily using an international comparative approach. The regions under scrutiny included Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.

Day 1: February 3rd

Session 1: The conference commenced with an opening address by Prof. Shinichi Kobayashi, Vice President of Hiroshima University and Director of the hosting institute. Following this, Prof. Akira Arimoto, Honorary Professor of Hiroshima University and former Director of the institute (8th and 10th terms), delivered the keynote speech titled “International Comparative Research on the Academic Profession in the Knowledge-Based Society.” Prof. Arimoto emphasized the increasing importance of scientific knowledge through historical observations of medieval and modern universities. He stressed the need for academic professionals to establish the Research-Teaching-Society Nexus (R-T-S Nexus) in the knowledge-based society.
Session 2: Presentations in this session focused on the evolution of the academic profession in Finland, Austria, Canada, the Balkans, and Baltic countries.
Session 3: The afternoon session included research presentations on the impact of women in university professorships in Portugal and Lithuania, as well as a study on changes in workload and job satisfaction among university professors in Malaysia.
Session 4: The day concluded with discussions on new international collaborative research projects focusing on the academic profession.

Day 2: February 4th

Session 5: Day 2 featured discussions on the roles and influences of university professorships in Latin America, China, and Taiwan. Participants shared insights on the involvement of university professors in the knowledge society, the “third mission” of universities from a Latin American perspective, and the results of the APIKS survey on gender-specific situations in academia in Chile.
Session 6 and 7: After lunch, sessions delved into research on the commitment, job satisfaction, and research performance of university professorships in countries like South Korea, Japan, and Turkey. Challenges and changes faced by university professorships in each country were shared.
Session 8: The conference concluded with discussions on future international collaborative research projects, and closing remarks were delivered by Prof. Ulrich Teichler and Prof. Akira Arimoto.

The conference provided a comprehensive exploration of the transitions and challenges in the academic profession from diverse perspectives. Insights into both commonalities and differences in university professorships across countries and regions were deepened. Discussions on the future prospects of the academic profession in the knowledge-based society and the implementation of international collaborative research projects contributed to a broad sharing of knowledge.