Tokyo Tech News

Messages from heads of Schools, ILA, and IIR established in April 2016

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Published: April 1, 2016

The heads of Tokyo Tech's newly established organizations were inaugurated on April 1, 2016. The deans of the six new Schools in which undergraduate and graduate schools are joined, the dean of the Institute for Liberal Arts (ILA) which supplements specialized science and technology education with education in the liberal arts, and the director-general of the Institute of Innovative Research (IIR) shared brief greetings.

Tetsuo Okada
Dean of the School of Science

Tetsuo Okada

Science is the discipline of unlocking natural laws, built on free thinking and intellectual curiosity. Our predecessors such as Galileo, Newton, Marie Curie, and Einstein have tried to understand nature, building on their own curiosity. However, despite the knowledge that humans have amassed over time through intellectual endeavors, we know very little of the natural world that we are part of. History shows that uncovering the essence of the natural world not only satisfies our curiosity, but also contributes to the development of the world we live in. The discipline of science is about inheriting and advancing human wisdom for the common good.

Nobuyuki Iwatsuki
Dean of the School of Engineering

Nobuyuki Iwatsuki

Engineering contributes to civilization, a framework for the happiness of humankind, by creating new technologies that make people's lives richer and more comfortable. In the School of Engineering at Tokyo Tech, students broadly learn scientific principles and industrial applications, and then experience the latest research works and international collaborations so as to play an active part in the world as creative experts. The School of Engineering strongly hopes to develop a bright future together with young students equipped with rich sensitivity and vitality.

Yuji Wada
Dean of the School of Materials and Chemical Technology

Yuji Wada

The School of Materials and Chemical Technology is dedicated to creating new functions based on a solid understanding of the structure and properties of matter. It also aims to nurture researchers and engineers capable of discovering principles and methods for controlling the dynamic chemical processes of substances. This is a place for top-level researchers to interact and cooperate, and for educating young people willing to solve issues related to the environment, energy, resources, safety, and health through work with various materials, and to create a civilization in which all living things can prosper.

Osamu Watanabe
Dean of the School of Computing

Osamu Watanabe

Information technology is in the middle of a revolution. This is not solely due to the large number of information appliances that have come to surround our daily lives. We are beginning to understand the essence of information through advanced mathematical methods, and technology that makes use of this knowledge has made significant progress. However, potential for the information society continues to expand. The School of Computing is constantly pushing back the frontiers of information science and technology.

Hisakazu Mihara
Dean of the School of Life Science and Technology

Hisakazu Mihara

The School of Life Science and Technology provides students with fundamental knowledge in the fields of science and engineering, focusing on life sciences and technology. Students develop problem-solving abilities and an ethical outlook that contribute to the progress of the discipline. Cutting-edge research is performed not only in science and engineering but also in a wide range of fields such as medicine, pharmacology, and agriculture. The goal of the School of Life Science and Technology is the education of scientists and technical experts capable of becoming leaders in the global society through diverse, advanced education and research.

Kikuo Kishimoto
Dean of the School of Environment and Society

Kikuo Kishimoto

It is necessary for students to acquire a broad range of knowledge of the humanities and social sciences while studying science and engineering in order to contribute to the sustainable development of humanity and society. Furthermore, the School of Environment and Society wants its students to become individuals who can apply and expand on their knowledge to create new technologies and academic fields.

To make this happen, in addition to the Departments of Architecture and Building Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering, the School of Environment and Society has established the Department of Social and Human Sciences and the Department of Innovation Science, as well as the Technology and Innovation Management Professional Master's Degree Program for graduate level studies. By making a school that integrates the humanities into the sciences, the School of Environment and Society aims to cultivate leading scientists and engineers who can truly contribute to the global society.

Noriyuki Ueda
Dean of the Institute for Liberal Arts

Noriyuki Ueda

Tokyo Tech is known for attaching a high value to liberal arts education. Its wedge-shaped education method has long provided undergraduate students with liberal arts courses running parallel to specialized courses throughout all four years of the bachelor's program. In keeping with this tradition, the ILA began offering unique, groundbreaking liberal arts courses in April 2016.

The liberal arts curriculum extends right through into the doctoral program. While gaining knowledge of the wider world, examining possibilities of the self, and inspiring each other through discussions and projects in small groups throughout their studies, students strengthen their ability to question, feel, think, speak, and act independently. Starting with the Tokyo Tech Visionary Project soon after admission to an undergraduate major, students move on to various more advanced courses but meet again in the latter stages of study to take on the Liberal Arts Final Report. The students are guided by master's students who have moved on from the Leadership Workshop to Peer Practicum and Advanced Leadership Workshop, acting as peer reviewers and generating cross-year exchanges in the classroom.

In the past, students tended to select liberal arts courses with the minimum requirements for credits. Is it really possible for those who acquire such an education to become real world leaders and create a better society? Tokyo Tech's liberal arts education is different. From the very beginning of their studies, each student starts on his or her individual learning path. This exciting journey eventually leads to students realizing their aspirations and creating a new world.

Tokyo Tech's liberal arts education provides an aura of learning that attracts people, ignites their curiosity, and vitalizes their spirit. Students are encouraged to discuss global issues and the depth of humanity in the classroom, cafeteria, or anywhere on campus, and create opportunities to recognize new possibilities for one's self and society. Through liberal arts education, individuals can open the door to their future and make significant contributions to society.

The ILA's ongoing mission is to develop true leaders who will lead 21st century society.

Kazuya Masu
Director-General of the Institute of Innovative Research

Kazuya Masu

The Institute of Innovative Research (IIR) was established in 2016 with missions to create novel research fields, to find solutions to the problems of human society, and to foster future industrial infrastructures.

IIR consists of four research laboratories, two research centers, and ten research units located over the Suzukakedai and Ookayama Campuses with more than 150 researchers in total. IIR aims not only to tackle common research projects through organic collaboration among these research bodies but also to produce novel research outcomes which lead to new technological innovations.

Schools, Departments, and Institute for Liberal Arts

Delivering a World-Class Education System
Information on Schools, Departments, and Institute for Liberal Arts inaugurated in April 2016

Schools, Departments, and Institute for Liberal Artsouter

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