Introduction
In recent years, rapid changes such as globalization and the ICT revolution in the social environment have made the challenges which organizations and individuals face increasingly complex and varieties. Against this situation, the importance of project management has increased, especially in the business and educational world, as a framework for achieving specific outcomes within limited time and resources. A “project” is defined as a one-time activity with a defined start and end, aimed at creating unique outcomes [1]. In contrast to routine operations, projects are launched to respond to environmental changes, and their success is heavily dependent on planning and coordination among people with the same interest.
This approach, especially project management has a significant importance not only in corporate activities but also within higher education such as university students. For example, university education includes a large number of assignments requiring students to complete projects such as reports, group work, and graduation research projects. These learning activities can be viewed as “projects” because of their characteristics such as clear objectives, deadlines, and outcomes [2]. However, in many cases, students currently approach these assignments as only tasks, working without considering scope definition, time management, or communication with others [2]. As a result, problems such as delays in work, unbalanced role distribution, and reduced quality of outcomes frequently happen.
Therefore, this paper will study the necessity of introducing project management thinking into higher education based on this problem awareness. It considers how to make students report and group work as projects, with scope management, time management, and communication, contributing to improve task completion capabilities. In addition, it discusses the significance of addressing project management within information processing courses. Information processing education is not only about acquiring technical skills, but also it is a place to cultivate the thinking skills needed to structure complex problems and solve them. Thus, connecting a project management perspective into this education is considered to help build a foundation for students to address the diverse challenges they will face in the future.
Challenges Faced Current Japanese Higher Education
Currently, Japanese university education has faced serious problems such as students losing their learning goals and decreasing their motivation. First, it is important to pay attention to the changes in the university admissions environment having the decrease in the population of 18 years old. Since the 1990s, the number of university applicants has significantly decreased while the university enrollment rate has increased [3]. As a result, university entrance exams have become easier, and the strangeness of competition for admission has eased. This situation has extended to the high school level, leading to a decrease in motivation to study subjects which are not directly related to university entrance exams. Therefore, an increasing number of new university students enter without having sufficiently acquired the fundamental knowledge and study habits required for university education.
Second, the impact of university ranking structures among universities on student motivation cannot be ignored. Students who enter prestigious universities often lose motivation after admission, feeling they have achieved their goal [3] [4]. In contrast, at universities which are viewed as lower position in the ranking, the misunderstanding that even hard work may not lead to improved future social status becomes a factor dampening students’ motivation. Thus, a key is that decreasing motivation occurs for different reasons at different positions within the university hierarchy.
Furthermore, the Japanese economic situation since the 1990s and changes in the employment structure have significantly influenced the values of the younger generation [4]. For example, traditional employment practices such as lifelong- time employment and seniority- based promotion have been erased, while non- regular employment has increased and the labor market has more power [4]. Under these conditions, the prospect that setting long-term goals and effort will make someone’s future secure and has become increasingly difficult to maintain. Thus, among young people, sustained commitment to academic pursuits and careers has weakened.
As addressing those problems, current university education faces complex challenges such as decreasing motivation to learn, insufficient foundational academic skills, and an increasingly uncertain future perspective. Therefore, the thing which is demanded in this situation is an educational curriculum that enables students to recover and strengthen their capacity for self learning.
Project-Based Learning and the Role of Project Management Thinking
In recent years, to address this higher educational situation of concerns, higher levels of active learning approaches such as Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Problem-Based Learning (PBL) have paid significant attention. These learning designs are characterized by a constructivist view of learning, where small groups tackle authentic challenges, learners manage their own learning, and teachers act as facilitators [5]. Project-based learning, particularly when connected to real-world challenges including those outside the classroom, holds the potential to help students grasp the meaning and purpose of learning, thereby recovering and strengthening their motivation.
Project management is a foundation of knowledge and methodology for creating unique results within deadlines. Processes such as initiation, planning, execution, control, and closure called the PMBOK [5]. It consistently addresses goal setting, resource allocation, progress management, risk response, and outcome review. Applying this project management curriculum to higher education learning activities redefines student report assignments and group work not only as tasks, but also as projects with clear objectives [6]. For example, sharing the assignments’ purpose and expected outcomes during the initiation phase helps clarify students’ learning goals. Organizing scope, roles, and schedules during the planning phase prevents students from unplanning work and ambiguous responsibilities. In addition, progress checks and information sharing and control phases promote team communication, enabling early problem funding and correction. The key point is that project management thinking is not conducted by instructors, but rather encourages students’ own judgment and action.
Therefore, the education required in higher education involves leveraging the PBL, while introducing project management thinking as the theoretical foundation supporting its operation and learning process.
Considerations
This paper studied the significance of introducing project management thinking as an educational framework to address structural challenges in higher education, such as learning motivation and weakened availability. Especially, the perspective of redefining routine learning activities such as report assignments and group work as projects demonstrates the potential to make students clearly aware of learning objectives and outcomes, promoting the formation of active learning attitudes.
Project management thinking can provide a theoretical foundation that supports the principles of PBL by offering a series of processes such as goal setting, planning, progress management, and reflection. Moreover, project management thinking is categorized not by strengthening teacher directed instruction or control, but rather by providing students with decision-making to manage their own learning.
In conclusion, Information processing courses play as an environment for cultivating the ability to structure problems and design and problem- solutions under limited conditions. Therefore, introducing project management thinking promoted significant educational value. It is essential to examine how project management thinking influences students’ task abilities and learning motivation through exact course design and assessment methods.
References
[1] M. Kobayashi, “Nantoka suru Chikara: Purojekuto Manejimento o Manabu （何とかする力＝ プロジェクトマネージメントを学ぶ) 2021, Microsoft Word – 10_P129-142_村田大学.docx, accessed on 2025/ 12/14
[2] M. Kobayashi, “Communication management in terms of stakeholder and team development for undergraduate education: From the viewpoint of project management in practice” 2020, Senshu University Institute of Social Science, No.688, accessed on 2025/ 12/ 14
[3] S. Inoue, “Contemporary social change and higher education reform in Japan: Achievements and challenges—An approach from comprehensive policy studies”, 2006, Journal of Comprehensive Policy Studies, Seisaku1105.pdf, accessed on 2025/ 12/15
[4] Science Council of Japan, “Challenges facing higher education in the 21st century: Responding to the globalization of education”, 2002, Report of the Special Committee on the Reconstruction of the Education System, 紙）, accessed on 2025/ 12/ 15
[5] K. Honjo, “PBL no kadai kokufuku ni muketa purojekuto manejimento riron no yukosei: Bunkei daigaku ni okeru gakusei no taido henka to sono kōka” TGDK20170006.pdf, accessed on 2025/ 12/ 15
[6] Y. Ueda, “Development of a project-based learning design support tool in higher education institutions” Graduate School of Social and Cultural Sciences, Kumamoto Univ., Japan, アブストラクト, accessed on 2025/ 12/ 15
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