New Science and Engineering System Proclaimed
Change in Waseda!
Progress in Science and Engineering!

The School and the Graduate School of Science and Engineering has recently announced that the current 13 departments, 1 domain and 13 majors system would be re-organized, and planned to be divided into three Schools and three Graduate Schools (16 departments, 1 domain and 16 majors) in 2007, detailed as:

• "Advanced Science and Engineering"*
  (Substance, Life, and System)
  
• "Applied Science and Engineering "*
  (Information, Mathematical Principles, Machine, Material)
  
• "Co-Creation Science and Engineering"*
  (Human, Living, and Environment)
  *Please note that the above three names in English are temporary ones and the official names in English will be determined later.

As for the background for this change, in recent years, trends in "Deployment of Intelligence (Academic Studies)," "Enhancement of Power (Industry and Infrastructure)," and "Bloom of Technology (Culture)" have developed, and now they are related to each other closely. The role of the university to lead the trend becomes more and more important. To discharge our duty to society, which is supported by technology, it is essential to enhance cooperation beyond the existing academic areas.

The School and the Graduate School of Science and Engineering have actively been updating and developing their research and education by re-organising departments or establishing new interdisciplinary domains and majors, so that the University can adapt itself to social dynamism. To make further progress, a new system will be established to educate students who are capable of leading academic studies, technology and culture, based on important technological fields in the 21st century, including "Bio-Technology," "IT," "Environment," and "Nano-Technology." This was inspired by the expansion of "Life Medical Science Department"

The new organization will realize more mobility and be more extensive, while keeping the advanced academic standard and the scale merit, which the School and the Graduate School has maintained. The University unveiled to the public a new framework for a �gcomprehensive scientific and technological university,�h which is beyond the concept of the conventional faculty and graduate school. Research and education in this new organization will be coordinated and merged with the academic community, industry and the society.

The following comprise the general concept of the new education and research focus under the new system resulting from the re-organization.

1. "Competition and Cooperation" and "Dispersion and Unification" on campus
   As each School and Graduate School are to be concentrated at the Okubo campus, the new organization will be more sensitive to social needs nurturing competition, and the organization will realize more efficiency when it utilizes research resources.
2. Unified Education of the School and the Graduate School
   The new organization will respond flexibly to new technological trends and educate specialized engineers and researchers who will get world-wide attention.
3. Horizontal organizational management of the School and the Graduate School curriculum
   The new curriculum (interdisciplinary major, undergraduates�f attendance of postgraduate courses, etc.) will go beyond the boundaries of the undergraduates and postgraduates. The students will be able to study more subjects that are allotted to other departments or majors. The new organization will introduce a �gmulti-major system.�h
4. Establishment of a special research field
   The Center of Excellence (COE) is to be strengthened by enriching the important technological field in the 21st Century, and new important technological fields are to be created.
5. Strengthening the cooperation between industry, the government, private sectors and the academic world
   Strengthening academic exchange and the co-use with other campuses, industries, governmental offices, citizens, and other universities will be encouraged.
6. Expanding international exchange
   The new organization will strengthen scientific exchange with overseas universities and institutions and will evolve into the university union network.
7. Improving practical English education
   Some specialized subjects will be taught in English, and credit authorization with the studying-abroad system will be expanded. Debate and presentation abilities in English will be strengthened.

The School of Science and Engineering is an old faculty. It will celebrate its centenary in 2008, and the faculty-based graduate school has a history of more than half a century. Students and some alumni and alumnae who love the time-honored name, might well be puzzled with this renaming. However, the fusion of science and technology has been an aim of Waseda University since its establishment. Thus, it is expected that the education of science and engineering students at Waseda will further develop with this re-organization and its adaptation to worldwide trends.