In 2014, Soka University was selected for the Top Global University Project initiated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology (MEXT). Of the 37 universities selected for the project, Soka University is categorized as a Type B or Global Traction Type.
This 10-year project (2014-2023) aims to enhance the international competitiveness of Japanese universities by providing prioritized support to universities that are leading the internationalization of Japan’s education through various initiatives related to research, educational systems and worldwide networks.
In the mid-term evaluation of the project released in 2018, Soka University received the highest ranking of “S” in recognition for its progress.
In the report, not only were the future prospects good with expectations that the university will achieve the project goals by 2023, but the report also outlined many of the targets that had been achieved.
Soka University holds a theme of “Global Initiative for Humanistic Education — Fostering Global Citizens for Building Peace and Sustainable Prosperity,” implementing universitywide initiatives to achieve its stated goals based on the four pillars structured around diversity: global mobility, global learning, global administration and global core.
With global mobility being initiatives to accelerate the globalization of the campus through the enhancement of study abroad programs and the acceptance of students from abroad, the percentage of international students on campus increased from 3.8 percent of the student body in 2013 to 11.2 percent in 2018.
The number of Japanese students studying abroad has also nearly doubled over the same period through the strengthening of university support for both inbound and outbound students accordingly to the growth.
Initiatives for global learning aim to foster creative global citizens through undergraduate and graduate programs that meet the global standards, represented by the English Medium Programs.
One of the outcomes of the global core initiatives is apparent in the establishment of the Global Citizenship Education Course Group that provides students with an exposure to various global issues under the themes of peace, development, environment and human rights.
Students can also pursue further studies in Soka University graduate schools such as the Graduate School of International Peace Studies, with English being its medium of instruction.
“Aiming toward 2023, the final year of this project, we will continue to create a campus filled with diversity and foster creative global citizens who will lead the local community, society and the world in building peace and sustainable prosperity,” said Soka President Yoshihisa Baba.