Background and Purpose
Background of new education program
Kyoto University has developed leading researchers, leaders, and educators by establishing a unique educational policy under the ideal of “self-esteem and self-respect.” As a result, the University has made an intellectual contribution in all advanced science/technology areas worldwide, and has produced many talented, internationally recognized individuals, as represented by Nobel laureates. Now Kyoto University has been requested to develop more leading experts for corporations, governments or international institutions, as well as academia. For students who are in a doctoral program, education has primarily been through discussions with their professors on the research in the laboratory. Such an educational system is effective for training academic researchers, but is not sufficient for developing researchers who can be good leaders in a variety of social fields. To achieve the above request, Kyoto University has decided to provide a new “education program for global leaders in advanced engineering and pharmaceutical sciences” as a joint program by the Graduate School of Engineering and Graduate School Pharmaceutical Sciences for five years from fiscal 2008 with the assistance of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan.
Purpose of new education program
The purpose of this education program is to train graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to be “Global Leaders” who play an important role internationally in the advanced technology area. Candidates for this program include researchers who have just acquired a doctorate, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students who have almost completed research to acquire a doctorate. A one-year education and training program is prepared for acquiring the following abilities in addition to profound knowledge in the special field:
- Ability to objectively understand one’s research from a comprehensive point of view;
- Ability to expand one’s research into related areas, and devise a new research strategy and research plan;
- Ability to be a team leader;
- Ability to prepare a logical essay, make a logical presentation, and hold a logical discussion in English.
For those who have finished the program, the University will support them in acquiring a position in the following areas:
- Team leader who can create and lead new areas in domestic and international corporations;
- Technical expert who can flexibly provide solutions to various issues at international organizations;
- Educator/ researcher in domestic and overseas universities;
- Researcher who continues research in his/her special field at public research institutions;
- Entrepreneur taking advantage of the products of research in his/her special field.