[Graduation Research: Fostering Mutual Understanding between Teachers and Students]

In the Model Core Curriculum for Pharmaceutical Education, revised in 2022, graduation research is mainly conducted in the later years of undergraduate studies and is designed to cultivate scientific inquiry. At pharmaceutical universities, graduation research spans diverse fields. Furthermore, there are two programs in the Faculty of Pharmacy: a 6-year and 4-year program, leading to different career paths for undergraduate students depending on the program taken. Some students aiming to become pharmacists may be unable to actively work on their graduation research because of the uncertainty of its relevance to their future careers. On the other hand, many Japanese university faculty members face challenges balancing teaching and research activities. To achieve the learning goals of graduation research, both faculty members and students must solve their own problems. In this symposium review, I would like to address the current situation of graduation research at pharmaceutical universities and consider how we should approach it in the future to make it meaningful for both the students who conduct graduation research and the faculty involved.