School of Sport SciencesWaseda University

About the School

From the Dean

Hirotaka Matsuoka, Ph.D.

Senior Dean, Faculty of Sport Sciences

Dean, School of Sport Sciences

Sports bring well-being to all people, even if they are diverse in language and culture. Playing sports makes our bodies and minds healthy, strong, and wealthy. Watching sports also enriches our minds through excitement and emotional experiences and enhances communication as a common topic of conversation among many people. With such power, sports have been a beacon of hope in the recovery from disasters such as earthquakes and torrential rains, as well as during the pandemic of the new coronavirus.

Over the past 20 years or so, the number of people working in sports, which is such an integral part of our society, has increased considerably. Since Waseda University’s School of Sport Sciences was established in 2003, it would be very gratifying if the educational achievements of the school were reflected in this increase in the number of people working in sports. However, the demand for excellent human resources in sports continues to increase. Expectations for human resources in sports, including leaders, supporters, managers, and researchers, are increasing. When such people work in the field of sports, they are required to make logical decisions and take action based on scientific evidence rather than relying solely on their own experience and intuition. The School of Sport Sciences, under the Faculty of Sport Sciences at Waseda University, is where such human resources are born.

One of the reasons for this is the wealth of educational experience that has been accumulated over the years. Although the history of the College of Sport Sciences and the Graduate School of Sport Sciences may seem relatively short, having been established in 2003 and 2006, respectively, their origins can be traced back to 1964. In 1964, sport-related education began in the Department of Physical Education in the Faculty of Education, followed by the establishment of the Department of Sports Science in the Faculty of Human Sciences in 1987. Together, nearly 60 years of sports-related educational activities have laid a solid foundation for the current School of Sport Sciences.

Another reason is our high research capabilities. WASEDA’s sports-related research capabilities are not the only top class in Japan but are also highly regarded worldwide. Furthermore, WASEDA’s presence in the world of sports-related education and research is growing as a result of its ongoing efforts to collaborate with the world’s top universities on education and research. Not only has the quality of research by faculty and graduate students been further improved, but the results of this research have also been applied to the education of undergraduate students. This is a system where education is based on scientific evidence, and the “knowledge” acquired by the students can be used in the practical field of sports.

These days, there is an ever-increasing need for every one of us to think and act with the entire community and, by extension, the entire world in mind. Human resources involved in sports are no exception. We hope to nurture many people who can think not only about sports but also about what they can contribute through sports and how sports can be beneficial to society.

 

(September 21, 2022)

Page Top
WASEDA University

Sorry!
The Waseda University official website
<<https://www.waseda.jp/fsps/sps/en/>> doesn't support your system.

Please update to the newest version of your browser and try again.

Continue

Suporrted Browser

Close