Tokyo Tech tuition to increase in AY2019

Message from President Kazuya Masu

To all prospective students and parents

Tokyo Tech envisions itself as one of the world's leading research universities by 2030, one year shy of its 150th anniversary, and continues to evolve rapidly through innovative changes in education and research.

The Institute's graduates and high level of research are globally valued, and in academic year (AY) 2016, Tokyo Tech introduced a new education system to extend further the reach of this impact. This system aims to develop professionals with a strong sense of vision who are capable of acting as leaders in both Japan and the world stage. In addition to acquiring highly advanced, specialized knowledge and skills through cutting-edge research, Tokyo Tech students are encouraged to formulate a mindset of continuous learning. Curricula at all levels were updated to ensure that all Tokyo Tech students uncover their full potential and develop into active professionals who stimulate one another.

Over 90 percent of bachelor-level graduates progress to master's studies at the Institute. In AY2016, Tokyo Tech was the first educational institution in Japan to combine its undergraduate and graduate schools into six new Schools, promoting seamless transition from one level of study to the next. Today, all first-year bachelor-level students join the Frontiers of Science and Technology course soon after admission to expand their knowledge in the natural sciences through lectures provided by world-leading researchers and engineers. This allows students to think more deeply about the position of science in society, and to explore the relationship between their own specializations and the wider world.

AY2016 also witnessed the extension of Tokyo Tech's liberal arts component up through to the doctoral level, and the establishment of the Institute for Liberal Arts. Students who intend to lead society towards a brighter future must supplement their specialized skills with the ability to identify challenges and solutions proactively. This requires flexible thinking and a broad perspective, two characteristics that Tokyo Tech has traditionally nurtured through its emphasis on the liberal arts. This tradition continues through the efforts of faculty members — prominent scholars in the humanities, social sciences, and culture — and is advocated through the promotion of active learning. Students at all levels interact with each other, boosting their communication skills and creating a buzzing hub where each can formulate his or her personal vision. News of this new system has been well received, both at home and abroad.

Tokyo Tech is also progressing with ambitious plans to make more lectures available in English, and is increasingly hiring highly qualified faculty members and researchers from abroad. Students are exposed to the joys of research from an early stage, and they can continue deepening their expertise through Tokyo Tech's unique path from one academic level to the next. The Institute is attracting attention as a model for engineering education because of these characteristics.

The combination of the above-mentioned efforts resulted in Tokyo Tech being selected as one of five designated national universities (DNU) by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in FY2018 to lead Japan into the future. More than ever, the Institute is expected to execute education and research activities on par with the world's leading universities, and to compete and collaborate with these institutions.

Against this backdrop, Tokyo Tech aims to develop further its learning environment and curricula, in 2019 and beyond, to ensure that its graduates continue as leaders in various sectors, both domestically and globally. This will include the development of state-of-the-art facilities for advanced research-based education, enhanced liberal arts education and stronger career support, and promotion of student exchanges at a purpose-built facility donated to Tokyo Tech by one of its alumni. In addition, the Institute is moving forward with:

• A rapid progress bachelor-to-doctor program that introduces students to a cutting-edge research environment from an early stage
• Provision of lectures by prominent technological and cultural contributors to bring about innovation through heightened awareness
• A more diverse Tokyo Tech, where international student numbers are already high, through English-language lectures at graduate level to enhance leadership abilities

To realize fully this unique Tokyo Tech model of education, the Institute has decided to revise its tuition. Annual tuition for bachelor-level students enrolling in or after April 2019 and master's, professional master's, and doctoral students enrolling in or after September 2019 will increase from 535,800 yen to 635,400 yen.

While implementing this change, the Institute continues with tireless efforts to strengthen its financial base through other means, including collaborations with industry and the utilization of existing resources. These efforts will combine to provide all outstanding students with fair access to Tokyo Tech education through a new scholarship system.

The effects of a Tokyo Tech education are already evident — recent graduates ranked 19th in the world in terms of employability.² The Institute's planned tuition revisions will translate to even greater success and achievements for its students, both now and in the future. Faculty and staff members at the Institute are united in supporting these achievements, and in working towards Tokyo Tech's recognition as one of the world's leading universities.

2

Times Higher Education Global University Employability Ranking 2017