Debuting the Hybrid Auditorium: Frontier Spirit Transcends Spatial Limitations

Today marked the first course of the Spring 2022 semester and the 2022 academic year at our institution. As such, MBA, MiM, and exchange students came into campus full of anticipation and energy, eager to put their best foot forward for the new semester or for their first course at our school. But even hardened 2nd year students had reason to be more excited than usual: today marked the beginning of the first NUCB Business School course taught in the hybrid delivery format, through which participants would be joining both on campus and remotely.

Fortunately for them, the course was helmed by our venerable Dean of External Relations, Professor Dr. Kenji Yokoyama, who took to the new system with much aplomb. Seamlessly balancing comments from students seated before him with those from remote participants joining from as far as Canada, the class discussion sessions brought out varying opinions on the differences between Tesla and Nissan, and their distinct approaches to the EV market.

Inspired by the hybrid auditoriums of Harvard Business School and drawing upon more than two years' experience in developing digital solutions to educational challenges, the system was conceived, developed, and constructed over the past four months, with participant-centered learning through case method teaching strictly in mind.

Boasting a high-resolution camera for blackboard visibility, state-of-the-art audio equipment for ease of communication between participants and faculty, and multiple displays transporting remote participants from all over the world straight into the classroom, the hybrid auditorium represents yet another step we have taken toward a future full of possibilities for higher learning.