Waseda University

Waseda Goes Global

Frontier of Embodiment Informatics: ICT and Robotics

Leading the Efforts to Solidify Cooperation Between Mechanical Systems and Informatics

The ICT and Robotics Unit has a goal to foster students who understand the history of development and technological relevance of the three fields of Embodiment Mechanism, Computer Science, and Networking Technology, and who are capable of proposing innovations by integrating them. Furthermore, the ICT and Robotics Unit aims to motivate students, acquire foresight, and strengthen research capabilities by promoting joint research with overseas faculty, studying at leading research institutions, and establishing a multiple research advisor system including prominent overseas advisors.

Frontier of Embodiment Informatics: ICT and Robotics

ACCOMPLISH­MENTS

1 Invitatiing More Than 80 Overseas Professors

We invited more than 80 prominent professors, faculty members, and researchers from more than 50 leading overseas universities, companies, and research institutions such as The Technical University of Munich, the University of Oxford, Nanyang Technological University, The Alan Turing Institute, The University of Edinburgh, and The University of Sheffield in the fields of ICT and robotics. Our unit also strengthened international collaboration through joint instruction, joint research, lectures, and symposia to provide master's and doctoral students with opportunities to gain knowledge from experts working at the pinnacle of the ICT and robotics fields. These students have achieved results, including joint paper presentations in leading journals and international conferences.

2 Sending More than 60 Graduate Students to Study Abroad for 3 Months at Leading Overseas Universities and Research Institutes

More than 60 graduate students studied abroad at 30 leading overseas universities and research institutes. Students studied at the Technical University of Munich, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Sheffield, the University of Edinburgh, and Nanyang Technological University for three months or more, which provided opportunities for world-leading international research, education, and exchange. Students have achieved remarkable results in the form of paper presentations, conference attendance, and employment. After graduation, many of our students have gone on to work not only as researchers, but also for world-renowned companies and are active on the global stage. Please click below to see the reports of students who have been dispatched overseas.

3 Hosting International Events

We invited prominent professors, faculty members, and researchers from leading overseas universities, companies, and research institutes to hold 12 symposia, 22 lectures, and seminars to provide master's and doctoral students with opportunities to gain knowledge from world-class experts working in the ICT and robotics fields. We were able to contribute to the development of human resources who have the ability to propose innovations through new manufacturing. The following is a partial list of symposia and other events which we held.

4 Promoting International Collaboration

We have been involved in various international educational activities and international joint research. We have initiated an interlaboratory agreement with The Alan Turing Institute and have provided international guidance by sending our students to the Institute. In addition, through participation in “MIRAI”, a Japan-Sweden joint research promotion program, we have invited faculty members from Sweden to share their expertise with our university. In the area of research, we have strengthened our ties with overseas institutions by co-hosting an online seminar with the academic journal “Science”, publishing an internationally co-authored paper with Hitachi, Ltd. in “Science Robotics”, and announcing joint development with RIKEN and Nanyang Technological University in the scientific journal “npj Flexible Electronics”. These efforts have contributed to the advancement of internationalization at Waseda, as evidenced by the appointment of members of our faculty as officers at “IEEE CS”, the world's largest computer science conference, and many other international conferences , thereby enhancing the reputation of the University.

5 Procuring Large External Funding

The "AI-driven Robot for Embrace and Care: AIREC" project, in which ICT and Robotics Unit members serve as project manager, sub-manager, and members, was selected for the "Moonshot Research and Development Program" overseen by the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan, and received funding of 3 billion yen over 5 years. We have also received other external funding, the amount of which has increased from 880 million yen in FY 2013 to 2 billion218 million yen in FY 2022, a 2.5-fold increase. External funding has improved the quality of our research environment and by using those research outcomes to educate, it has contributed to the promotion of our activities..

GLOBAL RELATIONSHIPS

OUR LAST SYMPOSIUM

In academic year 2023, the final year of MEXT support period, we held a series of symposia to highlight the successful outcomes to date in the unit. The following is a report of the symposium.

MOVING FORWARD

Invite World-class Faculty

We will continue to invite prominent professors and researchers from leading overseas universities, companies, and research institutions in the fields of ICT and robotics. Joint instruction, joint research, lectures, and symposiums by them will be held at the University to provide our master's and doctoral students with opportunities to gain knowledge from experts who are active at the highest level in the field of ICT and robotics, as well as the latest educational research results.
Students who receive guidance are expected to achieve results such as joint paper presentations in leading journals and international conferences.

Study Abroad Experience Opportunity for Students

We provide opportunities for master's and doctoral students to study abroad for at least three months at leading overseas universities and research institutes in the fields of ICT and robotics for international research, education, and international exchange at the world's most advanced level.
Students who have studied abroad are expected to disseminate their research results in papers and academic conferences, further promote their research after graduation, and find employment at well-known companies.

Donate to Waseda activities