A Message from the President

The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, is a university dedicated to the cultivation of next-generation doctoral talent through education at national research institutions known as "Inter-University Research Institutes." Since its establishment in 1988 as the first national graduate university in Japan, SOKENDAI has produced approximately 2,500 PhD graduates in various academic fields of basic research.

The Inter-University Research Institutes across our country are equipped with large-scale experimental facilities, advanced research equipment, and valuable research materials, and host leading groups of researchers. Many researchers from Japan and abroad jointly utilize these research facilities and materials, engaging in diverse collaborative research with institutional researchers. These institutions play a central role in advancing a wide range of academic fields, from the humanities to high-energy physics. A key feature of SOKENDAI is that it offers graduate education in such instituitons conducting world-class cutting-edge research.

Another distinctive feature of SOKENDAI is its unique educational system. Unlike most universities in Japan, where academic organizations are divided by disciplines such as "Department of Japanese Studies, Graduate School of Humanities" or "Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science," SOKENDAI has a single educational organization called the "Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies," which offers 20 doctoral programs covering a broad range of academic fields including particle physics, materials science, life sciences, astronomy, informatics, history, and culture. The curriculum of the graduate institute is designed to allow students to acquire basic knowledge and education in their chosen field of expertise, while also providing the opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary learning and research activities beyond a single discipline. The five key competencies outlined in our Diploma Policy—"Academic expertise," "Creativity," "Broad perspective," "Global competence," and "Research integrity"—are aimed at producing doctoral professionals capable of tackling challenges beyond their area of expertise and acting as independent researchers.

Today, global society is confronted with numerous challenges, including climate change and environmental issues, poverty and inequality, and political conflicts and disputes, which are increasingly threatening society. The rapid spread of technologies, such as artificial intelligence, and how society will respond to these developments is also a major issue. In fact, it is difficult to even imagine what human society will look like in 10 years. It is precisely in such uncertain times that society needs individuals who can carry the future forward. Universities must respond to this call as centers of learning.

SOKENDAI takes a long-term perspective in envisioning the role of academia that truly contributes to human society. We, at SOKENDAI, strive to make a significant contribution to society through the nurturing of doctoral professionals who contribute to the inheritance and development of academia, which supports the intellectual foundation of society, and who are capable of creating new knowledge through advanced research and development.

April 1, 2025
Nagata, Takashi Ph.D.
President
The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI