Liberal Arts Mini-Symposiums 2017 — No Poverty completed

Academic year 2017 marked the second year of Tokyo Tech's new doctoral education system, which includes mandatory Liberal Arts (Humanities and Social Science) Courses. This year, doctoral students conducted research and worked in groups on "Poverty," one of the themes listed in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Independent Studies Courses provide the knowledge required to manage academic societies and associations. Path-Breaking Liberal Arts Courses give opportunities to conduct joint research with students from different Schools and present their results. Students research a common topic and collaborate to organize a mini-symposium at the end of each quarter, starting from the second. Specialists also provide lectures on related topics.

Students' notes and posters from the courses are included in a journal that the editorial committee edits and publishes as the Journal of Tokyo Tech Liberal Arts Mini-Symposium. This journal is distributed within the Institute each year.

• 4th Tokyo Tech Liberal Arts Mini-Symposium

  Impact Access to Resource

  Saturday, July 29, 2017

The first lecture was given by Professor Aya Abe from Tokyo Metropolitan University on "The Reality of Child Poverty in Japan." This was followed by Associate Professor Naoya Abe from Tokyo Tech's Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering in the School of Environment and Society, who lectured on "Poverty, SDGs, and Technology." Following the lectures, Professor Naoto Ohtake, vice president for research development, and Professor Kazuya Masu, director-general of the Institute of Innovative Research, presented awards for presentations selected by participants.

• 5th Tokyo Tech Liberal Arts Mini-Symposium

  Poverty and Equality

  Saturday, November 18, 2017

After 25 four-student groups held poster sessions on their research, Dr. Mayu Morishima from Beyond Next Ventures Corporation delivered the first lecture, "My Work in Venture Capital and Tanzania "UHURU" Mobile Library." The second lecture, "Enter Equality, Stage Left?: A Reflection on the Role of Egalitarian Politics in the Fight against Poverty," was given by Assistant Professor Kei Numao of Keio University. Following the lectures, Professor Makoto Ando, executive vice president for research, presented awards for the best presentations.

• 6th Tokyo Tech Liberal Arts Mini-Symposium

  Poor Health and Poverty

  Saturday, January 20, 2018

This mini-symposium also kicked off with poster presentations by 23 groups of four students each.

After the student presentations, Dr. Akiko Horiba from the Sasakawa Peace Foundation gave the first lecture, "Living in the Violent Conflict – Case of Southeast Asia." She was followed by Assistant Professor Naonori Kusakabe of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, who delivered his lecture on "Poverty and NGOs in Bangladesh – Transition of Perception Toward NGO Activity for Islam."

Following the lectures, awards were given for presentations selected by participants. When awarding the special prize, Executive Vice President for Education and International Affairs Toshio Maruyama presented special awards to the best presentations.

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