The Development of Waseda University’s 21st Century Centers of Excellence

Under the banner of “Knowledge Jointly Created for the Asia-Pacific Region,” Waseda University is planning new developments in research and educational activities. At the core of this endeavor are the “Three Great Teaching Ideals,” which have served as Waseda’s guiding principles. These principles issues forth from the progressive spirit at work within Waseda, which focus on opening a new chapter in the history of mankind and the earth itself. They are also driven by a collective power the grows out of a tradition and culture that spans 120 years and the diversity woven together by the various individuals that gather at Waseda.
At Waseda, under the influence of these firmly established ideals and this type of energy, we have developed a design for the future that keeps in mind how we wish the university to exist and develop. Currently, we have put forth a number of concrete proposals and are steadily moving forward with them. They include: reforming the educational system and developments in areas that are on the vanguard, seeking to expand the research education at the graduate schools; advancing the research functions based on industry-university partnership that utilized the Project Research Institute and other institutions at Waseda; developing social and regional partnerships both within and outside that country, especially those rooted in the Asia-Pacific region.
From among these proposal there have come the nine sites that are part of the 21st Century Center of Excellence program. Each of these serves as a critical center that embodies the ideals established by this university and works to propel our research education programs forward. Taking on challenging and creative research problems, putting forth revolutionary paradigms, and developing new systems - these are among the unique tasks for which Waseda seeks to find solutions. In this way, we work to draw together all types of knowledge, both that found inside and outside the university, and wrestle with it in a highly individualistic manner. This very method is the strength of Waseda University and is the reason we promote the slogan “Knowledge Jointly Created.”
Based on this slogan, the larger aim of Waseda is to make a significant contribution to the development of scientific culture throughout the world and send out into the world people full of promise and able to become leaders of an international society.

Select the location/Link for Waseda University’s 21st Century COE Program

COE is an abbreviation for ‘Centers of Excellence’ (research centers of distinction). The program aims at improving the level of scientific achievement in Japan by dividing the academic research into ten areas, from which world-class research educational centers are established. Waseda adopted five programs in 2002 and four programs in 2003.