» Japanese
Welcome…to the World
School of International
Liberal Studies
Dean
MORITA, Norimasa
A Welcome from the Dean
Newly launched in 2004, the School of International Liberal Studies (SILS) may have only seven years to its name, but in those seven years it has gained recognition and established footholds as a unique educational and research organization within Waseda, within Japan, and in the world at large. With a multilingual bent focused on English in both research and student life, SILS takes multiculturalism, unrestricted to any specific national or regional culture, as its fundamental ideal.
This ideal is reflected in the courses, curriculum, and teaching methods, and since 2007, has launched many excellent graduating students to various businesses and further studies.
One might call SILS a grand “educational experiment” - not just for Waseda University, which goes back over 125 years, but also for higher education in Japan. Since the department’s founding, nearly all classes have been conducted in English, and a third of all students and faculty are from overseas. One year of study abroad is required (for native Japanese students only), and small-sized classes are of the utmost priority. SILS has focused its efforts toward the unprecedented, ambitious aim of nurturing students who will excel in international organizations and businesses or continue their studies in graduate school. By 2007, when the inaugural class graduated, it was clear that these goals have come to fruition. More than a few programs similar to SILS have sprung up recently. However, SILS remains singular, with classes mainly conducted in English, with about 80 percent of eligible current students spending at least one year at higher education institutions in more than 30 other countries and various regions, and with many talented graduates who have gone on to distinguish themselves in international careers, especially at international organizations and manufacturing, commerce, communications, financial, and consulting businesses.
One statistic showing the steady improvement of SILS students’ academic prowess is data indicating that English language ability improves by about 40 points on the TOEFL-iBT over the course of the program. However, SILS is not an English department. While it is a place to study English, it is also an academic community where students study in English. With its roots in cultural and liberal arts education, and branches that spread into many fields, SILS has laid out a curriculum in which various subjects can shine. This allows students to broaden their studies into a generalized education, or concentrate on a certain field for a specialized education. A system that will offer the opportunity for cross-field studies, while also formally recognizing fields of concentrated study as majors, is now being considered for incoming classes.
Since April 2009, SILS has moved to Building 11, overlooked by the bronze statue of Shigenobu Okuma, and entered a new phase of educational and research activities, breathing new life into Waseda itself. A truly international community was born in the heart of the Waseda campus. Through that extraordinary experience, we too have gained new insights into globalization and internationalization. Those who live in the community of SILS take part in a scene in which reexamining their consciousness of ethnicity, culture, and identity while gaining perspective on concepts of nationality, race, and culture are daily activities. I think this embodies the importance of multilingualism and multiculturalism.
To all those who identify with the ideals of the School of International Liberal Studies, which aim toward multilingualism and multiculturalism and who would gladly be a part of this unique community – our department extends its warmest welcome.