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Message from the Dean

 

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The graduate program of Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology aims: "to solve various problems related to the global marine environment, to pursue the potentialities of the marine environment, and in the master's courses, to train highly specialized professionals on the foundation of specialized basic studies, and in the doctoral courses, to train independent highly specialized professionals and researchers who are capable of opening up new frontiers." The graduate school has seven master's courses (enrollment limit: 228 students), and two doctoral courses (enrollment limit: 40 students), and about 660 students are devoting their efforts to their researches day and night to attain their own research goals. The sea surrounding Japan connects us to the world through global integration of marine education whereby one-fifth (1/5) of our students are from overseas countries. The Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology is focused and has a solid commitment to academic globalization.

Development of WISE Program to foster AI Professionals for Marine Industries was adopted "WISE Program (Doctoral Program for World-leading Innovative & Smart Education)" in 2019. This Program fosters artificial intelligence (AI) professionals for marine industries, including innovators, advanced professional engineers, and marine policymakers. Program graduates will possess technical literacy of big data analyses and machine learning methods, evaluate the performance of AI, and lead social implementation of AI-based on diverse expertise and field experience learned at TUMSAT. The Program is a five-year integrated graduate school course at TUMSAT. The Program incorporates AI into the marine industry, an emerging technology that seeks to resolve this sector's challenges. Moreover, the Program also addresses advances in education reform. For example, a Qualifying Examination scheme is introduced.

In 2016, the Collaborative International Education Program Based on the China-Japan-Korea Version of ERASMUS known as the OQEANOUS Program, was successfully adopted as an Inter-University Exchange Project (IUEP) hosted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan . The OQEANOUS Program employs the Bologna Process, a European model to ensure education quality and advance diverse activities to develop highly specialized professionals in marine-related fields. TUMSAT has refined its graduate schools' syllabi and initiated new educational programs, including summer school and double degree programs, in alignment with the Program. The joint degree programs for master's courses and credit exchange schemes, equivalent to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), will be expanded to include south-east Asian and European universities.

Also, TUMSAT strives to serve as a graduate school that fosters international perspectives for all students, including Japanese and International students, through diverse efforts. In particular, TUMSAT provides graduate schools' classes in English and participates in the International Priority Graduate Programs hosted by MEXT.

In 2020, the spread of COVID-19 infection caused many obstacles to face-to-face international exchange and overseas students' dispatch. However, new research and education methods have emerged, such as participation in classes in Japan from overseas due to the shift to distance learning. It is essential to adapt teachers' education and research environment to the "new normal lifestyle". At the same time, maintaining students living environment on campus without compromising quality.

Dean of the graduate school

Dr. Tetsuro HYODO

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