Quality of Life, Inc. Launches Comprehensive Support Program for Prefectures and High Schools Participating in MEXT's 'N-E.X.T. High School Initiative' by Leveraging a Database of 6,000+ Professionals and a Network of 10,000 Companies

Quality of Life, Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Masanori Hara; hereinafter 'the Company'), an intermediary support organization committed to addressing social, organizational, and human resource challenges, announces the launch of the 'N-E.X.T. High School Initiative Participation Support Program.' This program will provide comprehensive support—from application (public recruitment) to curriculum design, implementation, and improvement for the following year—for prefectural boards of education and high schools nationwide aiming to participate in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)'s supplementary budget project for fiscal year 2025, the 'N-E.X.T. High School Initiative' (total budget: approximately 295.5 billion yen, 100% subsidy rate).

Background: The Gap Between the Ideal of High School Education Reform and the 'External Collaboration' Barrier Faced by Schools

MEXT's 'N-E.X.T. High School Initiative' is a groundbreaking policy aimed at creating pilot cases to lead educational reform in regional high schools, offering continuous budgetary support for up to three years (100% subsidy). However, schools and boards of education face practical challenges when introducing and managing external collaborations (such as inquiry-based learning and hiring external experts), including:

1. Excessive teacher workload: It is difficult for teachers to simultaneously manage regular lesson preparation and administrative duties while coordinating schedules with external companies and experts and handling documentation.

2. Repetitive one-off collaborations: Activities like annual guest lectures, while valuable, lack continuity and depth, making it difficult for student learning to become established.

3. Difficulty in developing local resources (consortiums): A lack of know-how in designing and operating an 'ecosystem' that organically connects with local industries and universities.

Since its founding 20 years ago, the Company has served as an intermediary support organization bridging industry, academia, government, and individuals, undertaking public projects from METI, MEXT, and multiple local governments, and building educational collaboration experience with over 30 universities nationwide. Leveraging this expertise, we will act as an 'external producer (co-designer)' accompanying schools on-site, enabling schools to maintain leadership while drastically reducing teacher workload and maximizing student potential.

Customized Programs for the Initiative's Three Designated Types

For each of the three types specified in the 'N-E.X.T. High School Initiative,' we offer optimized custom programs by combining our existing assets.

① Advanced (Development of Regional Industry and Skilled Professionals): Regional Industry × Inquiry-Based Career Program

Leveraging our nationwide network of approximately 10,000 small and medium-sized enterprises, we immediately provide local companies as fieldwork sites. Additionally, we dispatch local industry experts from our database of over 6,000 professionals to implement project-based learning (PBL) cross-disciplinary experiential programs where high school students engage with real corporate challenges, conduct executive interviews, identify issues, and present proposals. Furthermore, leveraging the network of the General Incorporated Association for Industry-Academia Collaborative Human Resource Development (CIAC), we offer PBL programs and internship programs involving university and high school students.

② STEM Talent Development: Interdisciplinary × Inquiry Support Program

Through collaboration with the General Incorporated Association for Industry-Academia Collaborative Human Resource Development (CIAC), we assign university faculty, researchers, and corporate R&D departments as mentors and establish a regular feedback system for school-based inquiry activities in accordance with MEXT guidelines. Additionally, we dispatch local industry experts from our database of over 6,000 professionals to provide practical education programs in STEM, digital, and AI fields.

③ Diverse Learning Needs: Diverse Career Exploration × Regional Collaboration Program

Using a hybrid design combining online and in-person elements, we address cost distribution for remote areas, small-scale schools, and multi-school collaborations. We design online international exchange sessions with foreign professionals through the General Incorporated Association for International Student Support Network (ISSN). Additionally, leveraging networks from CIAC and the local job navigation site 'Jimonavi,' we utilize regional university students as facilitators for group work.

Program Strengths and Role Distribution (Three-Party Collaboration Model)

By acting as an intermediary, we realize an efficient 'three-party collaboration model' among prefectural boards of education, schools, and external professionals. While the school remains the primary driver of the curriculum, our company comprehensively handles the following back-office and production tasks:

- Overall program design and coordination of terms and schedules with external professionals and companies - Scheduling, honorarium processing, and other administrative tasks - On-site facilitation, documentation, and meeting minutes - Support in preparing outcome reports for MEXT and proposing improvements for the following year

Moreover, for assigning external professionals, we do not make unilateral decisions. Instead, we adopt a 'joint selection method,' presenting multiple candidates (2–4 individuals) and deciding together with the school through interviews, ensuring compatibility with students and the school.

Expert System

Representative Director: Masanori Hara (Graduate of Waseda University Faculty of Law, former employee of Recruit Co., Ltd.; pioneer in intermediary support between industry, academia, government, and civil society, having served on various government committees)

Registered Professional Database (Engun): Over 6,000 experts registered across diverse fields such as new business development, DX, marketing, food, and agriculture, primarily consisting of former employees from major corporations.

Quality of Life, Inc. Press Release

https://qol-inc.com/news/260713/

Contact for Inquiries Quality of Life, Inc. Contact: Shoichiro Shinagawa (Shinagawa Shoichiro) TEL: 050-3201-6751 E-mail: [email protected] URL: https://www.qol-inc.com/