Greetings from the Director
The 21st century is an age of globalization where notions concerning government, industry, science, and culture all transcend national boundaries. In this age, universities are expected to off their students a cosmopolitan world view. As the countries of the world become increasingly interdependent, universities will be judged according to the success of their graduates on the international stage. In recognition of the changing nature of education and the increasing prominence of globalization, we have established the "Internationalization Strategy Committee" in May of 2006, following a joint proposal from the president and chairperson Chikara Ishii. The Committee's mission is to formulate TUS's future internationalization policies.
In May of 2007, the committee issued a report concerning:
Internationalization of students
International student problems
Internationalization of faculty
International cooperation in research
Building the foundation for internationalization
The report studied a number of different issues and proposals, from which ultimately came clearly articulated short, mid, and long term goals. The Center for Promotion of Internationalization (CPI), founded in 2008, is dedicated to enacting the report's mandates by:
Supporting TUS students and faculty in international activities formally done under the International Exchange Committee, as well educating and supporting international students.
Guiding the expansion of TUS's internationalization program in ways that will improve the cultural and educational experience for all TUS students and faculty, whether international or Japanese, and increase the university's prestige and profile at home and abroad.
As the drawing in the next page shows, the Center is comprised of the Director, Assistant Director, and four other committee members who will head Planning and Operations. They cooperate closely with the International Exchange Department to ensure the day-to-day operation of the CPI as it executes its first mandate, explained above. The second mandate is carried out through cooperation with each department's faculty and Planning and Operations staff.
Additionally, there is an International Room at the Noda Campus (with one planned for the Kuki Campus). International students and foreign researchers can avail themselves of the services of these International Rooms between lectures or after class to drink coffee, relax, chat with their fellow students, or even surf the internet.
The Center has been operational for less than a year, but already it has achieved many results. Among the most notable was when the Ministry of Education, in their 2007 address "Internationalization Promotion Programs of University Education (Forefront International Cooperative Support)," highlighted our program "Educating People of Science and Technology in the Global Age."
Also, in the Ministry of Education's 2008 address "Internationalization Acceleration Programs for University Education (International Collaboration, Cooperative Support (Joint Strategy)," praised our program "Formulation of the Foundation of Education in Science and Technology Based Upon Comprehensive International Collaboration." We are delighted to have received such distinguished attention for our efforts thus far.
While we have come a long way in a short time, this is only the first step in the internationalization of the TUS. The Center places a prime focus on "new tasks to propel internationalization," and we will continue to work hard to achieve it. I hope that in these efforts we will have the understanding, cooperation, and generous support of all TUS faculty and staff.
May 2010
Director of Center for Promotion of Internationalization
Yuko Furukawa