GSAPS is the first of its kind in Japan, as it focusses its researches on the Asia-Pacific region. Since GSAPS was founded in 1998, we have been able to attract students from not only the Asia-Pacific region, but from all the five major continents in the world. This is a result of a bilingual (Japanese-English) education system and the 'Triangle Method' of teaching involving our students, the faculty members and external entities. In addition, there is also a comprehensive scholarship and award system for our international students. All these factors have led to GSAPS gaining both domestic and international recognition.

Students from all walks of life gather in GSAPS. While in Japan, you can enjoy learning in a multi-national, multi-racial and multi-cultural educational environment. As you learn and work together, you will also be able to build up a global network of friends.

In 2007, Waseda University celebrated our 125th anniversary amid great fanfare. Founded in 1882 (Meiji 15), it was known as the Tokyo Senmon Gakkou for the first twenty years. At the beginning of the ceremony, you have heard from the Choir, 'Chor Flugel', the school song 'Miyako no Seihoku Waseda no Mori ni'. To our new Japanese students, you might find the melody familiar. In Meiji 40, our 25th founding year, this melody gained the official status as the Waseda School Song. It has been sung by about 550,000 of our alumni.
For GSAPS, 2008 was also an extraordinary year for us as we celebrated our 10th anniversary. Founded in April 1998, GSAPS made history by becoming the very first independent graduate school, one without an undergraduate school base, of Waseda University.

In the span of ten years, GSAPS has produced 49 doctoral graduates in the last eight years, and 1230 MA graduates in the fields of international relations in the past nine years. Graduates hailed from the neighbouring Asian nations and from over 70 different countries around the world. Ten years may seem short but our presence is slowly being felt overseas.

The motto of GSAPS education reads, 'To research from a global and regional viewpoint of the Asia-Pacific region, in the fields of history, politics, economics, industry, management, society, culture and international issue'. From the results of our research, we seek to cultivate talented professionals with a high-level of specialised knowledge and skills, who will in the future, contribute to the development and well-being of society.

Based on this belief, GSAPS seeks to take the lead and works towards educational reforms. As a result of our efforts, we have been awarded by MEXT the special scholarship initiative, known as the 'Asia Regional Integration and Regional Cooperation Future Leader's Scholarship Programme' in 2007 for five years. This allows GSAPS to provide ten full-coverage scholarships. In 2008, GSAPS was also chosen for the 'East Asia Advanced Talent Development Programme', under the Graduate Education Reform and Support Programme. This will allow our current students to construct an even more attractive graduate educational support system.

I would provide an example. From December 2008 to February 2009, partner schools from eight different nations (Korea, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, US and New Zealand) jointly organised a seminar for 76 MA and PhD students. From February 28 to March 1, 16 MA and PhD students, together with six of their faculty members from Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, China, the Philippines and New Zealand, visited Waseda University and participated in an international conference on the theme of 'East Asia Integration'. A PhD student from New Zealand expressed his admiration for the efforts the professors put in for their students (GSAPS) at the end of the conference.


For AY2009, GSAPS is also planning to host similar international conferences, known as Summer School for our MA and and Summer Institute for our PhD students. In the latter half of the year, GSAPS is also currently planning to send students abroad on fieldworks and to participate in joint and international conferences with our overseas partners institutions.

The GSAPS environment is favourable for education and research. Under the supervision of our highly-specialised faculty members, and the many instructors who are experienced in the fields of international civil service, diplomacy and mass media, you are about to begin your learning journey. Especially from this year, four faculty members from the Graduate School of Global Information and Telecommunication Studies (GITS) have joined us at GSAPS and this has certainly strengthened our curriculum and in the field of telecommunications.

Waseda University is full of traditions and yet, it is a vibrant community. The faculty members and the administration of GSAPS aim to work together towards improving the learning environment.

Michio, YAMAOKA
Dean of GSAPS