The global economy is rapidly becoming more and more international and Japan's global competitive ranking has been evaluated as one of the highest in recent years in terms of technological prowess and R&D ability. At the same time, our overall ranking has taken a remarkable nosedive due to a relative weakness in technology management and intellectual property management related to the innovation creation cycle, which is indispensable to sustainable economic development.
In order to get out of this state of affairs and strengthen the international competitiveness of the Japanese economy, it is necessary to produce a large number of people skilled in management of technology (MOT) and send them into society.
Even in Japan the number of places where MOT can be studied has been increasing. However, many of the programs are based on an American style of educational program. While America may be an advanced country in terms of MOT, Japan and America are very different in terms of their social environments, cultures and systems. Therefore, it is imperative to establish a MOT educational program that can take root in Japan's climate.
The educational principle that the Tokyo Institute of Technology Graduate School of Innovation Management aims for is to create MOT workers who will be accepted around the world by introducing the excellent parts of the American style of MOT on the one hand, while providing a Japanese style of MOT education, that can perhaps be called Japanese spirit with Western learning, one that is rooted in the strength of Japanese manufacturing and Japan's own corporate and market cultures.
Similarly, our students can look forward to the total cooperation of other graduate schools at our university. So when they have an interest in another field, they can belong to a laboratory in another graduate school as a minor student. Even while they are learning MOT, they can get a taste of truly cutting edge technology as they grope for hints to business.
It is Tokyo Tech, where we are conducting research in cutting edge technology in every field and where students are surrounded with abundant opportunities to get their hands on the latest technologies—that is why we are confident of providing the MOT education based on this principle.