Cutting-edge technologies are constantly making their foray into education. Futuristic technologies help democratize and improve the quality of education while also bringing academia a step closer to the industry realm. However, they also have their downsides. A recent incident occurred during the entrance examinations conducted by Japan's Waseda University, for example.

An 18-year-old boy allegedly used smart glasses, equipped with camera and communication functions, to cheat on Waseda University's School of Creative Science

and Engineering entrance exams in February. According to the police, the suspect from Machida in western Tokyo had solicited people online to help him answer difficult questions, offering money to those who responded to his post for answers. The examinee posted the photos on X (formerly Twitter) to solicit answers.

Eventually, One of the X users who sent answers to the questions realized the suspect was cheating and notified the university. Waseda University subsequently informed the police after one of its staff found the alleged student doing something similar during an entrance exam for another university department.

This incident is a sounding alarm for educational institutes worldwide. The examinations must evolve according to the demands and challenges of the technology era. In the hope of this evolution, we present our yearly special issue featuring some of the prestigious alumni of Waseda University, which is one of Japan’s most prestigious universities—founded in 1882 as the Tōkyō Professional School and was formally renamed Waseda University in 1902. We welcome your comments.