The Graduate School of Science and Technology (GSST) was established in 1988 by integrating the Graduate School of Science and the Graduate School of Engineering. After several reorganizations, the GSST separated the Graduate School of Advanced Science and Technology in 2016 as the research division to which faculty members belong. Subsequently, in 2018, the GSST was reorganized into a new graduate school for education. Having five majors in line with the undergraduate programs, we have achieved a six-year integrated education from undergraduate to the Master’s program, and students can acquire a high level of expertise and logical thinking through specialized education unique to each major. On the other hand, the doctoral program has been reorganized into two majors, science and engineering. The students of each of the majors can acquire advanced research promotion skills including the latest knowledge and technologies through distinctive research. The program aims to nurture individuals who learned problem-solving and communication skills to develop collaborative projects with other fields from a bird’s eye viewpoint.
The world is now increasingly complex. We are faced with a variety of complicated issues that cannot be solved by simple approaches planned and implemented locally, such as economic insecurity, declining birthrates, security, the environment, disasters, food problems… we are now in an era of uncertainty. The basic science and technologies that you will master through cutting-edge research here at the GSST will surely contribute to solving each of these issues. However, in order to understand and solve any of the above issues, it will be essential to collaborate with various specialists in medicine, sociology, ethics, economics, and other fields, in addition to scientific approaches. In order to grasp the essence of the problem from comprehensive viewpoint and to take a leadership in international activities to solve the problem, it is necessary to have a sense of curiosity and liberal arts not limited to one’s specialty. Liberal arts are universal knowledge accumulated by mankind, a common language, and can instantly connect people regardless of their nationality or generation.
The GSST has professors with outstanding achievements and academic knowledge, allowing their students to conduct research with a sense of presence that is on par with the world’s leading-edge research. In addition, each major has an educational environment in which students can acquire a high level of expertise in their own fields of study through high-quality lectures that characterize their courses and programs. In addition, the Global Joint Education Center for Science and Technology (GJEC) provides a common set of lectures for the GSST, enabling students to learn the liberal arts, international sensibility, and entrepreneurship and management, which are the fundamental skills needed to navigate through the confusing world. That is, the students can cultivate perspectives beyond their expertise, diverse values, and an international outlook through GJEC program.
The GSST has prepared a substantial scholarship support framework. In particular, it is possible for the students of doctoral program to reduce their financial burden considerably. Therefore, you can immerse yourself in research in a free and vigorous environment. As the Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) recently stated, “Highly specialized personnel (PhDs) with advanced expertise and skills are indispensable for innovation,” and in the future, PhDs will be highly favored in Japanese society as well. Here at the GSST, we will strive to nurture researchers and advanced engineers with a sense of liberal arts and a broad perspective who can contribute to solving global issues in this unpredictable age and drive creative innovation. We hope that the GSST of Kumamoto University will continue to be a source of excellence that contributes to the creation of a prosperous and sustainable society of the future.
IHARA Toshihiro
Professor, PhD
Dean, Graduate School of Science and Technology
Kumamoto University
