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Education

Education Policy

Education Policy

The goal of a university education is to give students a broad liberal arts education as well as advanced technical expertise and to nurture students who are full of creativity that is based on a flexible thought process and a rich imagination and who also have a broad perspective. At UEC, we have dubbed the comprehensive science that supports an advanced communication society “comprehensive communications science.” The topic of this science is communication between people, between people and society, between people and Nature and between people and manmade artifacts. We strive to develop a comprehensive field of scholarship where research progresses organically from basic research to applied research with the ultimate goal of contributing to the progress and development of a peaceful and contented society.
The education policy of the UEC Faculty of Informatics and Engineering is to cultivate in our students advanced technical expertise in the many fields of science and technology related to comprehensive communications science and instill in them a broad and deep liberal arts education. It is also to develop an education program that nurtures independence, internationalism and ethical awareness, and finally, to produce talented scientists and engineers with the ability to comprehensively put all that they learned into practice.
Based on this policy, the curriculum of the Faculty of Informatics and Engineering is composed of three branches. The Comprehensive Cultural Curriculum is aimed at building the student's humanity and character. The Practical Education Curriculum begins immediately after enrollment. The Specialty Curriculum systematically develops from basic science to the specifics of each department or program. During the student's first two years, he/she takes the classes required of all students in the Faculty of Informatics and Engineering as well as classes in her/his own department, thereby receiving a broad education with the focus on instilling a strong desire and capacity for tackling the pursuit of learning, an understanding of basic science and an understanding of the fundamentals of his/her particular department. At the same time, students are deepening their knowledge of specialized fields through survey courses that elucidate the contents of the major programs of their department. Starting in their third year, students flexibly select their own path based on their own interests and goals. They join one of the department's major programs and increase their specialization. Meanwhile, the Fundamental Programs for Advanced Engineering (night school) curriculum has been established to cultivate the applied and practical skills necessary to comprehend real-world technology and resolve issues in specialized fields from an engineering standpoint. Students in this program pursue a specific research topic based on workplace experience (work experience through corporate training or long-term corporate internships) under the guidance of the university and the corporation. 

Learning/Teaching Goals Shared by All Departments and Programs

“Cultivation of the capacity for scientific thinking,” “Cultivation of the ethical awareness, humanity and international perspective required of a scientist or engineer” and “Acquisition of the ability to communicate logically” (the ability to correctly understand another person's ideas and also clearly communicate one's own thoughts to another person) are the learning/teaching goals shared by all departments and programs. Each department or program also has established its own specific learning/teaching goals regarding specialized expertise required of the students in each individual department or program.

(1) Cultivation of the Capacity for Scientific Thinking

Today's science and technology has become extremely sophisticated and its progress is extremely rapid. Even if one simply absorbs all of today's cutting-edge knowledge and technology, all that knowledge will become out-of-date and useless in just a short period of time. In order to become a scientist or engineer who can stand on one's own feet in the world of science and technology, it is vital to study one's field systematically starting with the fundamentals and continuing on to applied expertise and also to master capacities for flexibility and creativity. To set out on the path toward an area of specialization is similar to climbing a tall mountain. At the beginning of the long road, the mountain climber simply doggedly places one foot in front, but gradually spectacular mountain views open up and the walking itself becomes more and more enjoyable until the climber eventually arrives at the summit. By properly teaching the fundamentals of the natural sciences and mathematics, this faculty nurtures talented students with a rich and open-minded capacity for scientific thinking which allows them to take what they have learned and apply it at will to the real world.

(2) Cultivation of the Ethical Awareness, Humanity and International Perspective Required of Scientists and Engineers

To fulfill the role of scientists and engineers who contribute to the good of society requires the cultivation of a deep and broad education and a great humanity. In the second half of the 20th century, science and technology began to cause serious problems for both mankind and the environment. It is now recognized that, for scientists and engineers in particular, a deep understanding of the effects that our globalized science and technology has on man, society and the environment is even more important than ever. Scientists and engineers in the 21st century must be conscious of the connections between the science and technology that they engage in and the international community and global environment. They must be able to examine the principles behind their own actions with a firm ethical sensibility. In this faculty, we provide a deep and broad education and nurture talented students with a strong ethical awareness, humanity and an international perspective.

(3) Acquisition of the Ability to Communicate Logically

In human society, the ability to accurately understand another person's ideas and the ability to clearly communicate one's own ideas is vital. Only once our students have these abilities can they make use of today's advanced communication methods and technologies and contribute to society. Specifically, what is required is the ability to transmit information accurately and logically through writing and speech and carry out productive discussions. In this faculty, we nurture these communication abilities in our students and produce talented students with communication skills that are applicable on the international stage.

Study Guidelines

To a greater extent than high school students, students engaged in university courses are expected to adopt an independent and dynamic attitude toward their studies. Laboratory work and seminars, in particular, are an important part of the UEC curriculum in that they drive home the things learned from lectures and ensure that technologies and techniques are mastered. The graduation research project that is compulsory for all day-time students represents the first time that students, with one-on-one guidance from an instructor, tackle research on their own which is devoted to a specific topic. The graduation research project is highly significant as the culmination of the student's four-year education. It goes without saying that laboratory work, seminars and graduation research will not produce results without the active efforts of the students themselves. In all other coursework as well, students must not simply absorb what the lessons impart; it is vital that they develop an attitude of striving to grasp the essence of things by pursuing a subject as deeply as they need to for their own satisfaction and giving everything thorough consideration.
The undergraduate education program ends with an undergraduate degree, but for those who want to proceed further down the academic path and acquire still more advanced expertise in their specialty, we strongly recommend that they continue their studies in graduate school. All of the major programs in each of the faculty's departments continue on into the master's degree programs of the graduate school via the Linked Specialty Curriculum so that there is continuity in the curriculum from the undergraduate program to the graduate school. These courses are also open to undergraduates enrolled in the undergraduate school.

Education
Undergraduate School
Graduate school