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For this reason, I came to think that it would be simple and easy for me to conduct research and education on “proper technology” that would enable Japan and developing countries to “cooperation”. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to discuss for several months the results of the field in Southeast Asia and other areas under the theme of “Plants and Aerosols” in a governmental large-scale project (2008 – 2012). I was impressed that the research (particle engineering and transport phenomena) became an open and elegant medium for “collaboration” between Japan and developing countries. When I designed the system to expose the particles to plants, I was most troubled as an engineer, but I made many engineering-students think about the significance of interdisciplinary research. From the field of agriculture, we received not only diversity and attitudes toward new research, but also many engineering tips, which became the foundation of my current research group. Teaching students with an interdisciplinary approach can dramatically increase their motivation to solve problems on a global scale.For this reason, I came to think that it would be simple and easy for me to conduct research and education on “proper technology” that would enable Japan and developing countries to “cooperation”. Fortunately, in the New Academic Area Studies (in a governmental large-scale project, 2008-2012), I had the opportunity to discuss the results of fields in Southeast Asia and other countries over the course of several months under the theme of “Plants and Aerosols”. I was impressed that the research (e.g., particle technology and transport phenomena) became an open and elegant medium for “collaboration” between Japan and developing countries. When I designed a system to expose fine particles to plants, I encountered the most difficult task as an engineer, but I was able to make many engineering students think about the significance of interdisciplinary research. From the field of agriculture, not only diversity and attitude to new research, but also many research processes and engineering tips became the foundation of my current laboratory. By educating students with an approach based on interdisciplinary research, students can dramatically improve their motivation for solving problems on a global scale.For this reason, I came to think that it would be simple and easy for me to conduct research and education on “proper technology” that would enable Japan and developing countries to “cooperation”. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to discuss for several months the results of the field in Southeast Asia and other areas under the theme of “Plants and Aerosols” in a governmental large-scale project (2008 – 2012). I was impressed that the research (particle engineering and transport phenomena) became an open and elegant medium for “collaboration” between Japan and developing countries. When I designed the system to expose the particles to plants, I was most troubled as an engineer, but I made many engineering-students think about the significance of interdisciplinary research. From the field of agriculture, we received not only diversity and attitudes toward new research, but also many engineering tips, which became the foundation of my current research group. Teaching students with an interdisciplinary approach can dramatically increase their motivation to solve problems on a global scale.

It is said that the world is now facing the age of VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity). Social problems caused by globalization, as well as technological innovation, are also factors that trigger VUCA. There are a number of complicated issues that are difficult to solve through technological innovation. For example, developed countries that advocate “Environmental conservation through development” are criticized by developing countries as “Developed countries caused environmental destruction” and claimed that “Prioritize development over environment”.

The next generation of human resources will increasingly be placed in an ecosystem that is less predictable and will require the ability to make better decisions and take action in complex and uncertain situations. When and where should education for such human resources be conducted? If the last place to train as a a science/technological-based human resource is a lab/research group of a higher education institution, I think the impact of how the director/mentor manages the organization or project and how the student experienced it will be significant.

In order to develop highly adaptable human resources to the VUCA, it is necessary to create an environment in which people can experience failures while being aware of risks and repeatedly practice the process of learning from failures. Unfortunately, in Japan, which has become performance-based, people are placing more importance on the quantitative evaluation of individuals. As a result, the mentor may not be able to afford to deal with learners’ failures because they are expected to lead students to short-term success with “manual” instruction. Students also tend to be afraid of failure and prefer to make strenuous efforts under the guidance of mentors. Steady efforts are important, but if we are satisfied with short-term stability and peace of mind (comfort zone) as a result of the fact that we have made efforts, there is a possibility that this stability orientation will lower the sensitivity of “sense of crisis” in the future.

In addition, considering the long-term effects of VUCA, it is necessary to carry out joint research with different fields, or to introduce diversity into the organization by enrolling a certain percentage of foreign/international staff and international students to adjust the environment involving heterogeneity. There is an example of mapping the business management methods of each country with “Hierarchical” and “Egalitarian” on the horizontal axis and “Top-down” and “Consensual” on the vertical axis (E. Meyer, 2017). While Japan and Germany are classified as “Hierarchical+ Consensual”, China, Indonesia, and France are classified as “Hierarchical+Top-down” (The boss is the leader.), the United States and the United Kingdom are classified as “Egalitarian+Top-down”, and the Netherlands and Northern Europe are classified as “Egalitarian+Consensual” (The “boss” is a facilitator). I think it is important not only to understand these differences with brain (head), but also to experience different ways of thinking in the R&D sites.

The development of ICT and AI technologies is aimed at clarifying the current situation in which people’s ways of thinking (or field) are diverse and divided, and it is not easy to find “agreed” solutions. Global challenges are complex, and I think that if more societies overestimate “competition” the whole world will go in the wrong direction, and in the long run, who will be the winner will be meaningless. Understanding and caring about each other’s history is the key to working with other countries.

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 このことから、日本と途上国とが“協同”できる「適正技術」の研究教育をするのが私にとってシンプルでわかりやすいのではないと考えるようになりました。幸い新学術領域研究（2008-2012年度）で「植物とエアロゾル」をテーマとして東南アジア等のフィールドの成果について多くの関係者と数カ月にわたって議論する機会を得ました。そこで研究（微粒子工学や移動現象論）が日本と途上国との“協同作業”に開放的でエレガントな媒体になったことに何度も感動しました。微粒子を植物に暴露するシステムを設計した際はエンジニアとして最も頭を悩ませましたが、多くの工学系学生に学際研究の意義を考えさせることができました。農学領域からは多様性と新たな研究への態度だけでなく、多くの研究のプロセスと工学的なヒントをいただき、現在の研究室の基盤になりました。学際研究に基づくアプローチで教育することで、学生たちにも世界規模での課題解決に向けたモチベーションを飛躍的に向上させることができます。

    世界は今、VUCA（激動・不確実性・複雑性・不透明性）の時代に直面していると言われます。グローバル化による地球規模の社会問題、そして技術革新やイノベーションもVUCAを引き起こす要因となります。開発より環境保全を訴える先進国に対して、途上国は環境破壊を招いたのは先進国だと非難し｢環境より開発を｣と主張するなど、技術革新では解決困難な複雑な課題が山積しています。

    次世代人材はますます先が読みづらいエコシステムにおかれ、複雑かつ不確実な場面で高度な決断と行動ができる能力が要求されていきます。そのような人材を育てる教育はいつどこで行われるべきでしょうか。理系の人材としての最後の訓練の場が研究室であるとした場合、指導する側がどのように組織やプロジェクトを運営しているか、学生がそれをどのように経験したかが及ぼす影響は大きいと考えます。対VUCAに適応力の高い人材を養成するには、リスクを意識しながら失敗を経験させ、失敗から学ぶプロセスを反復練習できる環境づくりが必要です。残念ながら、成果主義になってしまった日本では、個人の数値的評価を重視するようになってきています。そのため、手取り足取りの指導で学生を短期的に成功に導くことが求められ、学ぶ人の失敗に付き合う余裕がないかもしれません。学生も失敗を恐れ、教員等の指導に従ってコツコツと努力することを好む傾向があります。地道な努力は重要ですが、努力したという事実を結果として短期的な安定感・安心感（comfort zone）に甘んじていると、その安定志向こそが将来における「危機感」の感度を下げる原因になる可能性があります。

    また、長期的な教育効果を考えた場合、異なる分野との共同研究や、ある割合で外国人スタッフ・留学生を在籍させて組織に多様性を導入し異質を巻き込んだ環境を調整することが、VUCAを経験させることになるでしょう。各国の企業経営法を、横軸を「階層Hierarchical」と「平等Egalitarian」、縦軸を「上意下達Top-down」と「合意Consensual」としてマッピングした例（E. Meyer, 2017）があります。日本とドイツは「階層」「合意」型ですが、中国とインドネシアとフランスは「階層」「上意下達」型（上司は指導者）、米国と英国は「平等」「上意下達」型、オランダと北欧は「平等」「合意」型（上司は指導者ではなくファシリテーター）に分類されており、物事の捉え方やプロジェクトの進め方が文化により異なることが示されています。このような違いを頭で理解するだけでなく、研究開発の場でも異なる考え方と触れる経験をすることが大切ではないでしょうか。

 ICT・AI技術の発展は人々の考え方（分野）が多様化し分断しているという現状を鮮明化する方向にあり、”合意した”解決法を見いだすことが容易ではありません。世界規模の課題は複雑であり、「競争」に過大な価値を置く社会が増えれば世界全体が悪い方向に行くでしょうし、長期的に勝者が誰であるかは意味がなくなると思います。他の国との協同には互いの歴史への理解と思いやりが鍵です。

    (2019/ 日本エアロゾル学会会誌「エアロゾル研究」巻頭言へ投稿する予定)

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