Following the 2019 revision of Japan’s Standards for the Establishment of Graduate Schools, universities with doctoral programs have been strongly encouraged to provide opportunities or information to help graduate students develop competencies required for university-level teaching. Against this backdrop, various initiatives to support such development have been introduced at Japanese universities. However, little is known about how participants themselves perceive their learning and developmental changes in these programs.

This study investigates the learning experiences and contributing factors reported by participants in the University of Osaka’s Future Faculty Program (FFP), a structured program for master’s and doctoral students. The FFP comprises three courses—Course Design and Teaching I, II, and III (FFP I, II, III)—designed to build university-level teaching competencies. Specifically, FFP I focuses on instructional design fundamentals and microteaching; FFP II involves classroom teaching with peer observation, as well as observing classes taught by faculty members; and FFP III centers on designing Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) projects, and integrating their own teaching, research, and service philosophies. The program emphasizes active and experiential learning through peer review, group work, microteaching, and reflective activities. It serves students across a wide range of disciplines, and optional mentoring support is also available after program completion.

This study draws on qualitative data from three individual interviews and two roundtable discussions, with eleven graduate students in total. These were published on the program’s official website between 2015 and 2023. A thematic analysis was conducted to explore participants’ perceived learning and developmental experiences in the FFP and the factors that contributed to these changes.

As a result, six types of change emerged:
(1) acquisition and application of teaching competencies, along with enhanced self-awareness;
(2) development of transferable skills, such as communication abilities;
(3) enhanced engagement in research practice, accompanied by a deepened awareness of its societal relevance;
(4) clarification and expansion of career visions, including consideration of new academic career paths;
(5) formation of new interpersonal relationships and professional networks across disciplinary boundaries; and
(6) broadened perspectives on academic diversity.

These transformations were supported by six contributing factors:
(1) role modeling provided by FFP instructors;
(2) a psychologically safe and supportive program culture fostered by FFP instructors and teaching assistants;
(3) peer interaction with diverse participants;
(4) experiential and practical learning opportunities;
(5) multifaceted feedback from FFP instructors, teaching assistants, and peers; and
(6) motivation through program completion certification.

These results suggest that the FFP serves not only as a site for developing teaching competencies, but also as a space where participants can envision themselves as future educators and researchers.

This study contributes to understanding how structured programs like the FFP foster graduate students’ growth. Further comparative, longitudinal, and cross-national studies may offer deeper insights and inform the design of more effective programs in diverse educational contexts.

Keywords: Preparing Future Faculty programs, graduate students, professional development, higher education.