From the Dean

Professor MAEDA, Seiji
Senior Dean, Faculty of Sport Sciences
Dean, School of Sport Sciences

Sport has the power to move people forward. People challenge their limits, collaborate with teammates, and open up new possibilities. These activities extend far beyond competitive arenas. Sport cultivates physical and mental health, creates social connections, revitalizes local communities, and connects people across different cultures and values. Sport is a universal culture that unlocks human potential and enriches human life.

Today, the environment surrounding sport is changing rapidly, and its role has expanded more than ever before. How can athletes improve athletic performance? How can science unlock the potential of the body and mind? How can people live healthy, fulfilling lives? How can sport contribute to the sustainable development of society? What directions should sport business and sport policy take? How can society ensure that everyone enjoys the value of sport? To address these questions, researchers must combine insights from diverse academic fields and examine the essence and potential of sport from multiple perspectives. The mission of sport sciences is to investigate sport from multiple angles, create new knowledge, and connect that knowledge to the future of society.

The history of the School of Sport Sciences at Waseda University extends far beyond its founding in 2003. Its origins trace back to 1964, the year of the Tokyo Olympic Games, when the Department of Education within the School of Education established the Physical Education Major. In 1987, the university reorganized this major into the Department of Sport Sciences within the School of Human Sciences, and the School of Sport Sciences opened in 2003. The establishment of the Graduate School of Sport Sciences in 2006 further strengthened this foundation for education and research. Our institution carries a 60-year tradition of education, research, and accumulated knowledge. This history represents more than the passage of time. It reflects a continuous challenge to redefine education and research in sport in response to social changes and contemporary demands. This stance, pursuing high ideals while remaining grounded in practical reality, echoes a line from Waseda University’s alma mater: “pursuing eternal ideals without forgetting the present world.” Today, the School of Sport Sciences stands where accumulated tradition meets cutting-edge sport science to create new academic insights.

Waseda University upholds 3 founding principles: Independence of Scholarship, Practical Application of Scholarship, and Fostering of good citizen. Guided by these principles, we pursue truth with an independent mind, generate new knowledge, and develop individuals who apply that knowledge to solve real-world problems. These principles serve as the guiding foundation for our education and research. Our educational objective extends beyond teaching specialized knowledge in sport. We encourage students to examine human beings, society, and the world through the lens of sport. Students learn to respect diverse values, analyze complex challenges from multiple perspectives, formulate questions independently, think based on scientific evidence, and return their insights to society. Our core mission is to cultivate graduates who combine intellect with practical capability to confront emerging challenges proactively. We expect our graduates to build careers across diverse sectors, including athletics, healthcare, medicine, education, business, public administration, journalism, and international organizations, creating new value in their respective roles.

The Faculty of Sport Sciences* pursues the mission of promoting the well-being of every global citizen through sport sciences. Beyond advancing sport itself, our responsibility is to apply scientific knowledge toward resolving local and global challenges, helping build a sustainable society. This responsibility defines the future of sport sciences. Under this mission, our faculty members, staff, and students study together, ask questions together, create knowledge together, and open paths to the future.

The journey of sports education and research at Waseda, which began in 1964, is now writing a new chapter. Building on our established tradition and intellectual assets, we will advance sport sciences in Japan and share new knowledge across Asia and the world. We will pursue independent inquiry through Independence of Scholarship, apply our findings to society through Practical Application of Scholarship, and educate the leaders of tomorrow under the ideal of Fostering of good Citizens. Our goal is to enhance the value of sport, broaden its potential, and contribute to human well-being and social progress through sport sciences. Guided by this mission, the School of Sport Sciences at Waseda University will remain at the forefront of knowledge, opening new horizons for sport sciences.

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* The Faculty of Sport Sciences is the comprehensive academic organization responsible for education and research in sport sciences, which encompasses the School of Sport Sciences for undergraduate education.

(September 21, 2026)