Introductory message

The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (hereafter referred to by its Japanese abbreviation, Sokendai) was established in October 1988 based on a concept unique throughout the world, namely to foster first class researchers through doctoral course programs by taking full advantage of the rich research environment and talent available at its affiliate Inter-University Research Institutes (or IURIs). These IURIs are research institutes in different fields that universities nationwide use jointly. Each IURI functions as the core for a particular field of research, plays its part in leading research communities, and pursues international joint research.

Sokendai functions purely as an independent graduate university offering doctoral programs exclusively, with no undergraduate programs, and relying on affiliate IURIs to act as “parent institutes” for our schools and departments. This distinctive system is mirrored in the special character of education at Sokendai. Its most notable merit is that the graduate school education of the researchers is implemented directly onsite at the individual parent institutes. By offering direct access to the parent institutes' international research activities in highly specialized fields, one of the university's educational goals is to foster researchers with exceptional professional expertise who are internationally competitive.

Research projects in diverse fields, such as culture, history, informatics, life science, energy, materials, and space, are conducted at Sokendai's parent institutes and departments. Utilizing this academic diversity, another goal of our education is to nurture talented individuals endowed with a “broad perspective.” Developing a broad perspective does not necessarily require an expertise in multiple disciplines, although it is essential to understand the issues and challenges in other disciplines. One must, however, strive to obtain a precise understanding of his/her discipline. Therefore, the broadness of perspective must include the ability of the researcher to connect his/her expertise to other knowledge and position that expertise in the entire spectrum of knowledge.

It is my hope that every student will seek opportunities to take on challenging research subjects within Sokendai’s unique system and take advantage of the prospects provided by Sokendai’s distinctive educational goals. Selecting an unchallenging research subject will not bring significant results. The role that Sokendai should play is to guide and support each student in developing his/her individual strengths and applying what he/she has learned at the university to his/her life and work.

The higher education activities carried out at this and other universities will function as pillars of a “knowledge-based society.” However, it is only recently that the shift to a knowledge-based society has become widely recognized. The creation of concepts and systems completely different from the conventional is needed in many areas. The roles and functions of graduate education have to be reviewed; how to achieve the results that graduate schools are responsible for needs to be clarified. In Sokendai, we have different agendas and expectations, including establishment of the purposes for development of researchers, a vision for fundamental education, and collaboration with other institutes. In this period of transition for society and universities, we ask all concerned to understand and cooperate in the further development of Sokendai.

April 1, 2012
TAKAHATA Naoyuki
President
The Graduate University for Advanced Studies

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