Essay by Ken Masuda
July 2025
First, I want to clarify that my intention is not to criticize my workplace. What I'm about to discuss could happen anywhere globally.
TMGH is among the few genuinely outstanding graduate schools in Japan. Since I hold a management role, you might see this as self-congratulation. However, as routines become established, they can become monotonous.
Last day, we had a presentation session of research plans where most of MPH and MSc candidate students proposed their research plan. I found many projects seemed highly structured, exuding a vibe of merely following instructions or lacking originality, more or less, not adventurous. I suspect I might be the only one troubled by this.
At the venue, most questions raised were about sample-size calculation, selecting analytical methods, or verifying methodologies. I understand these are significant issue to seccure scientificity, however. when this persists, students may start thinking, "I need to pursue the correct answer." This mindset can easily suppress the bold aspirations of young individuals eager to express their own ideas. Is this truly how the life sciences educate people?
Students under my (anthropologist’s) supervision strive to forge their own paths, but because they don't conform to the ‘scietific’ standards, those fixated on finding the right answer struggle to comprehend them. By inquiring about sample sizes, they attempt to fit everything into an understandable framework. Their dedication is commendable, yet I can't help but think, "This is how scientists make things dull."
After spending over 15 years making the cultures of international and global health at Nagasaki University more adaptable, I can't shake the feeling that we've somehow reverted to the early 2000s. What was all that effort for? I've invested so much in cross-disciplinary collaboration and outreach, but perhaps these endeavors are ultimately futile. If all we do is adhere to the "correct answers" dictated by academic self-regulation instead of discovering things in the field, then this is merely vocational training.
In global health, there's no value if all young people become straight-A student at the University of Tokyo. When diligent individuals teach other diligent individuals, there's no space for daring individuals to push boundaries. Scientific rigor is crucial, but I want to emphasize: This is not a laboratory.