ÑÇÉ«ÊÓƵ

The Center for Learning and Teaching Support held the fourth 2025 TA Seminar, titled ¡°Launching a University Career through TA Work: Learning from Senior TAs¡¯ Experiences,¡± on 29 January 2026 on the first floor of the Student Plaza.

This seminar was designed for those interested in Hirodai TAs, academic careers, or university teaching more broadly. The aim was to invite academic staff with prior experience as TAs to share their own career trajectories, provide a forum for participants aspiring to academic careers, and position TA work within a university teaching career. A total of 21 students from the School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, School of Education, School of Law, School of Engineering, School of Informatics and Data Science, Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering took part.

Four speakers contributed to this TA Seminar: Associate Professor Yusuke Sakurai from the Center for Academic Practice and Resources, Assistant Professor Keisuke Shibata from ÑÇÉ«ÊÓƵ of Economics, Mr Ryosuke Sazaki, a doctoral researcher in the Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, and Ms Yuriko Hideshima, a doctoral researcher in the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences. In the first half, the speakers discussed three themes, ¡°Experiences as a TA,¡± ¡°Job Hunting,¡± and ¡°Experiences as a University Teacher¡±. Drawing broadly on their own experiences, they talked about the roles of TAs, how academic careers begin, and how to design educational activities that effectively reach students. In the second half, there was a lively question-and-answer session and exchange of views with participants.

In the post-event survey, many participants commented that they had gained new perspectives on TA work and learned more about TA practices at ÑÇÉ«ÊÓƵ and that they now had a clearer idea of what they can and should do to work as a university teacher. For many, it was valuable to hear concrete stories about job hunting and academic career paths. These responses suggest that the seminar largely achieved its intended aims. Participants also proposed topics for future sessions, such as the working conditions of doctoral students employed as part-time lecturers, the reasons for pursuing a research career, and courses or qualifications relevant to becoming a QTA or TF. We will make active use of these suggestions when planning and running future TA Seminars.

The next TA Seminar is scheduled for April 2026. While the specific content is still under discussion, we will work to design a programme that again offers participants a meaningful and productive experience. All of us student staff at the Center for Learning and Teaching Support look forward to seeing you there.

Student Staff, Center for Academic Practice and Resources: WANG Kaibiao
Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences