Founding Principles

The Founding Principles of the Graduate School of the International University of Japan

International University of Japan (IUJ) was founded in 1982, with the extensive support of Japan’s industrial, educational and local communities, to train professionals who can actively make contributions to the international society with a high level of interdisciplinary and specialized knowledge.

As the nature of IUJ is very different from other Japanese graduate schools that mainly nurture scholars for academia, before stipulating its founding principles, IUJ was extensively discussed at the IUJ Advisory Committee, comprising eminent persons from industry and educational society, and at the Drafting Committee. The following is the Founding Principles of IUJ that have been made effective with the approval of the Board of Trustees Meeting.

Aims of the school

  1. The International University of Japan is a private post graduate institution founded with the extensive support of Japan’s industrial, financial and educational circles and of administrative in the area where it was established. Its administrative policy, based on a spirit of progressive internationalism, is open and autonomous.
  2. The graduate school of the International University of Japan is a new professional school whose primary purpose is to educate capable young men and women and develop in them a high level of interdisciplinary and specialized knowledge which they can put to practical use in the international arena.

Characteristics of the school

  1. Reflecting the above aims, teaching and research in the graduate School are, as a matter of Principle, interdisciplinary and are characterized by the comprehensive integration of area studies with the study of international relations and international management.
  2. In order to develop in its students a high level of specialized knowledge, the graduate school aims to foster originality in both teaching methods and in the organization of its curriculum and also to respond to social needs through extensive research activities.
  3. Instruction in the graduate School will as a general rule be conducted in English with a view to educating talented men and women whose skills will be applicable throughout international society.
  4. One of the fundamental aims of the founding of the graduate School is to encourage the enrollment of college graduates who have had previous business experience. The School opens its doors widely and welcomes persons with a wide variety of back grounds and specialties, both from Japan and abroad, in the hope that their practical knowledge will be further broadened and reinforced through friendship and interaction with other students.
  5. To effectively implement the above stated aims, students will as a rule reside in dormitories so that by living together young people of different nationalities and with different backgrounds can be stimulated by each other’s world views and awareness of critical issues and learn to work together. It is hoped that the graduates of the university will promote a high level of mutual understanding and international friendship on the basic of the personal relationships and trust developed during their student days.
  6. The Graduate School has searched widely for distinguished scholars from Japan and abroad, who are experts in their fields, to create a truly international faculty, which will have a strong formative influence on the students by maintaining close contact with them not only in the classroom but outside of it in the opportunities offered for interaction with the local community so that the students’ learning experiences can be both varied and meaningful.

IUJ Mission and Objectives

The objectives of IUJ are to:

  • Teach and conduct research in academic theory and applications necessary for practical solutions of issues facing international society and international businesses, and
  • Foster global leaders who have a high level of professional knowledge and skills with deep understanding of and respect for different cultures, thereby contributing to the development of international society.

Mission and Objectives of Graduate Schools

GSIR’s Mission

GSIR is dedicated to developing professionals by educating students towards acquiring a long-term vision of the rapidly changing world, appreciating diverse perspectives in global and local contexts, and enhancing their analytical skills and problem-solving capabilities in a wide range of contemporary international affairs. GSIR also encourages academic research conducive to the development of its faculty’s teaching and supervision as well as student’s capability in the fields of international relations, international development and international peace studies, utilizing the experiences of Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. All programs are conducted in English.

GSIM’s Mission

The Graduate School of International Management (GSIM) is dedicated to developing “wise” (i.e., socially responsible) individuals for global business and social leadership, with an emphasis on serving the emerging countries.
The two key components of GSIM mission are nurturing Social Responsibility (SR) and Global Business (GB), which the school aims to achieve and operationalize through its innovative policies, recruitment strategies, placement efforts, teaching, research, and service strategies.
SR in GSIM mission derives from its belief that GSIM and its graduates should not only be compelled by financial benefits but also by their sense of duty to social causes. At GSIM, we mainly focus on the following aims in SR:

  • To enhance the social responsibility policies of GSIM stakeholders, including Japanese corporations, Japanese government organizations, and local community
  • To educate students to be socially responsible leaders, stressing the need of students from emerging countries in Asia and Africa.

GB focuses on the needs surrounding all the constituencies that GSIM serves. For students and faculty, it is vital to keep abreast of the ever-changing dynamics of global business, supported by solid theoretical and practical bases, in order to advance their own careers and professionalism. For other stakeholders, which include Japanese corporations and government organizations, it is vital that GSIM nurtures students who can blend their business objectives with a sense of social leadership because such organizations expect this balanced outcome. At GSIM, we mainly focus on the following aims in GB:

  • To instill global mindedness in students, including those from emerging countries in Asia and Africa.
  • To help students understand the business and cultures of other countries and serve their home countries by contributing to their development, following graduation
  • To help Japanese corporations, Japanese government organizations, local SMEs, and other stakeholders (e.g. foreign entities operating in Japan) to become globalized with a sense of social responsibility

GSIM’s Vision

To be the premier business school with a world-wide reputation that develops future leaders with social awareness who understand both Japan and emerging countries in Asia and Africa.

GSIM’s Values

Derived from the GSIM mission statement, the following are its notable values.

  • INCLUSIVENESS (AND MULTICULTURAL AWARENESS)

    Our students are educated to be capable of being sensitive and skillful in reaching common objectives with people from various cultural backgrounds.

  • GLOBAL MINDEDNESS

    Our students are trained in such a way that they can cope with any competitive environment on the global business stage.

  • SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

    Our students are educated (1) to influence the activities of other individuals or the group to which he/she belongs to and (2) take wise and socially responsible decisions.

  • ETHICAL INTEGRITY AND PROFESSIONALISM

    Our students are inculcated to be aware that in businesses moral and ethical conduct is essential. The students master business fundamentals necessary to become truly competent professionals.