The degree conferral policy stipulates an emphasis on the ability for the students to use their skills in the society, based on the concept of "practical science," in addition to specialized skills in "engineering" and "agriculture," as mentioned below.

Highly Specialized Skills

  • Ability to employ independent researchers or creative technicians in specialized fields through learning cutting-edge knowledge and skills in those fields
  • Ability to demonstrate flexibility in the application of specializations to raise social issues that need to be addressed from various angles and to plan and promote various research activities aimed at dealing with these issues
  • Ability to assume the point of view of sophisticated experts with training in logic and expression across the arts and sciences and take an unbiased stance toward any particular knowledge or experience related to cutting-edge research

Social Achievement and Practical Leadership

  • Ability to demonstrate a wealth of "social skills" so as to consistently instill confidence in those around them as good members of society and expand their own collaborative relationships while promoting projects
  • Ability to maintain the motivation to pursue further advanced study, constantly hone highly specialized skills, maintain a broad perspective and a high level of insight, and demonstrate an array of social and leadership skills

Knowledge and Skills to be Learned in the Program

A scientific understanding of logical systems, a broad fundamental knowledge of the general sciences (mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, etc.) necessary to pursue research problems, as well as general application skills

Problem-solving skills necessary for addressing food issues in a wide range of specialist fields, such as soil science and plant nutrition, agro-environmental engineering, horticulture, phytopathology, environmental stress biology, genomics, veterinary pharmacology, immunology, ecology, bio-organic chemistry, bioengineering, chemical engineering, fluid engineering, mechanical dynamics, nanoelectronics, robotics, organic photonics, and energy systems engineering and the skills to drive cutting-edge research based on experience in multiple fields

  • Knowledge of specialized subjects (including related social science courses, such as environmental policy, environmental economics, and environmental law) and the necessary general subjects for promoting innovation (such as ethics, art, design, law, economics, history, geography, and business)
  • Advanced literacy skills required of doctoral degree holders (scholarly writing, oral presentation skills, expression in Japanese, foreign language skills, and argumentation skills.
  • Knowledge of how to publish research articles in qualified academic journals and similar publications, which contributes to the doctoral dissertation; competence in the research process, from drafting research tasks to publishing results
    Practical leadership skills focused on various literacy and general management skills necessary to play an active role of a leader in organizations and communities, including those overseas
  • Ability to unite people from different fields for major global-level problem solving and to lead an organization
  • Awareness of social issues and the ability to propose scientific approaches; knowledge of various ways to understand social needs, ways to assess levels of client satisfaction, and ways to analyze competition; basic skills to drive scientific research (proposing research tasks, skills of critical inquiry, practice in writing scientific papers, and practice in patent tactics); and practical skills to pursue scientific research (acquiring research funding, organizational skills, power to create value in the future and leadership and negotiation skills)

A steering committee has been organized through the collaboration of external institutions that handles decisions on new graduate school programs and degree review criteria and matters of management related to constructing practical education systems.