The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (hereinafter referred to by its Japanese abbreviation, Sokendai) was founded in October 1988 with the intention of fostering creative researchers with broad perspectives, who can lead new trends in academic research. Since the admission of the first students in April 1989, Sokendai has sent more than 1250 doctoral program graduates (as of the end of March 2009) to positions in universities, research institutes, and industries in Japan and overseas. The number of doctoral degrees by dissertation conferred to working people has reached 190. During these years, Japanese society has changed remarkably; national universities have been incorporated, and the system of higher education has entered into a new stage. Along with its incorporation, Sokendai has extensively restructured its system and begun to offer 5-year doctoral programs in addition to the conventional 3-year doctoral programs in the Schools of science. Our original intention of offering 5-year programs was to make our enrollment system more flexible. The change, at the same time, positively influenced views on graduate education among our faculty members, and that led to improvement in the quality of the education. However, the environment surrounding national universities is becoming increasingly difficult and no university can overcome this difficult situation without making further creative and innovative efforts. In particular, the second mid-term goal and plan starting in the next academic year strongly requires every university to increase autonomy and independence, functional differentiation, and efficiency in administration and management.
When Sokendai was originally founded, it was based on a unique concept with no precedent in the world: the fostering of first-class researchers by linking Inter-University Research Institutes in order to put their excellent research environments and human resources to the best use. Inter-University Research Institutes participate in a unique Japanese research system, which makes large research facilities/equipment and important academic materials accessible jointly to Japanese and international researchers in universities. Started as a graduate university that has no undergraduate school and affiliated with these Inter-University Research Institutes and other research institutes, Sokendai's unique organizational strengths directly lead to educational merits. Most notable among these merits, is that programs are conducted at real research sites. Internationally mixed and advanced research studies are conducted at the Inter-University Research Institutes, and for this reason Sokendai insists on high expertise and international competitiveness as the goals of research and education.
On the other hand, the Departments of Sokendai are dispersed both academically and geographically; therefore, the formation of a new tradition and the establishment of an international identity have been our goals since its foundation. To achieve these goals, Sokendai aims, in terms of education, to foster researchers and individuals who have broad perspectives beyond the disciplines of Departments and, in terms of research, to cultivate new research fields with inter-disciplinary approaches. The headquarters at the Hayama Campus has organized various education and research activities for the purpose of integrating these dispersed functions. In the future, in addition to the linkage via the Hayama Campus, further establishment and enhancement of the education and research networks between the Departments will be achieved. In particular, promotion of our education and research projects based on the fusion of science and humanities is expected to bring results unique to Sokendai.
Last year, Sokendai celebrated the 20th anniversary of its foundation. Since its founding, the philosophy of Sokendai has been passed on and brought to reality starting from the presidency of Dr. NAGAKURA Saburo, the first President, through Dr. HIROTA Eizi, and Dr. KODAIRA Keiichi to myself. Obviously, higher education conducted in universities, including our university, are pillars that support a knowledge-based society. As public institutions, citizens support universities and expect achievements. As modern society, premised on science and technology, reaches a crucial turning point, the responsibilities and roles of universities in society will continue to become more important. In such an age, Sokendai, in the spirit of its founding, commits itself to extending excellence in education and research and to contribute the results to society. At the end of 2008, we organized a new initiative, our first joint forum to collect all of our efforts. In addition to its original purpose, the joint forum for this year will be organized as an inter-departmental event with the intention of gaining public recognition. Preparation for the inter-departmental development of educational programs in social studies of science is under way. At the same time, each Department endeavors to make its campus more attractive by garnering the understanding and support of the local people in each location of the Hayama Campus and the Departments through the active publication of information about education and research activities to the local community and by organizing events at which the Departments and the community can interact. In closing, I would like to ask the concerned individuals and parties for their continued understanding and support for the further development of Sokendai.
April 1, 2009
President
The Graduate University for Advanced Studies
TAKAHATA Naoyuki
President's Profile
Kyoto University (BS, 1971) Chemistry.
Kyoto University (MS, 1973) Quantum Chemistry.
Kyushu University (DS, 1977) Population Genetics.
The National Institute of Genetics
Assistant Professor (1977 - 1986)
Associate Professor (1986 - 1992)
The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai)
Professor and Director (1992 - 1997), Coordination Center for Research and education
Professor and Dean (1997 - 2001), Department of Biosyetms Science
Vice-President (2001 - 2008)
Executive Director (2004 - 2008)
Honors
Promotion Award (The Genetics Society of Japan), 1986
A foreign honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 2002
President of the Society of Molecular Biology and Evolution, 2003
The Kihara Prize (The Genetics Society of Japan), 2003
The Kimura Prize (The Society for Evolutionary Studies, Japan), 2006
The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (hereinafter referred to by its Japanese abbreviation, Sokendai) was founded in October 1988 with the intention of fostering creative researchers with broad perspectives, who can lead new trends in academic research. Since the admission of the first students in April 1989, Sokendai has sent more than 1250 doctoral program graduates (as of the end of March 2009) to positions in universities, research institutes, and industries in Japan and overseas. The number of doctoral degrees by dissertation conferred to working people has reached 190. During these years, Japanese society has changed remarkably; national universities have been incorporated, and the system of higher education has entered into a new stage. Along with its incorporation, Sokendai has extensively restructured its system and begun to offer 5-year doctoral programs in addition to the conventional 3-year doctoral programs in the Schools of science. Our original intention of offering 5-year programs was to make our enrollment system more flexible. The change, at the same time, positively influenced views on graduate education among our faculty members, and that led to improvement in the quality of the education. However, the environment surrounding national universities is becoming increasingly difficult and no university can overcome this difficult situation without making further creative and innovative efforts. In particular, the second mid-term goal and plan starting in the next academic year strongly requires every university to increase autonomy and independence, functional differentiation, and efficiency in administration and management.