II. Education Program
1. Diploma and Curriculum Policies
1.1. Diploma Policy
A student who completes this program can take one of the following degrees, “Doctor ofEngineering”, “Doctor of Science”, or “Doctor of Philosophy”. In any of there cases, the term“completed Advanced Graduate Program in Global Strategy for Green Asia” is added.
Diploma policies of this program are shown as follows.
(1) Degrees are granted to those who have been enrolled in the course for the stipulated period,
who have undertaken education and research activities aligned with curricula that are based onthe course’s principles and goals, and who have fulfilled all the following conditions within thestipulated length of time.
Condition 1: Have successfully passed all doctoral thesis screenings and examinations
Condition 2: Have taken courses on developing the abilities of research, practice, global
perspective and system landscape, and have obtained the requisite number of credits for eachcourse.
(2) In addition to the research ability based on advanced, specialized knowledge, the standard forcourse completion is based on whether students have been able to combine the aforementioned
abilities of research, practice, global perspective and system landscape, as well as master theabilities and knowledge needed to contribute to the industrial, economic, and social
development of Japan and other Asian countries as international leaders in industry, academia,and government.
(3) Other aspects considered when evaluating course completion include whether students’ researchin the later stages of the program is conducted with a sophisticated sense of morality and a firm
sense of responsibility in accordance with the principles of Green Asia, and whether thosesubmitting doctoral theses have the ability to explain concepts logically.
(4) Those deemed to have acquired superlative skills and research results during the course of theirstudies are eligible to complete the course as much as half a year early
1.2. Curriculum Policy
The course and research works to acquire the abilities of research, practice, global perspective,
system landscape, and leadership are shown in Table 2-1, which should be equipped to complete
Green Asia Program (Figure 2-1). As will hereinafter be described in detail.
This degree program is a 5-year integrated doctoral program. For course students to develop theabilities of research, system landscape, global perspective, practice, and leadership to drive theGreen Asia Strategy, the program has been designed so that they obtain a well-rounded balance of allthese qualities, and simultaneously can demonstrate their personal growth to others. This program
operates on the assumption of fall enrollment (initial entry), in line with the international standard.
Students who enroll in a master’s program in April can take a 6-month pre-program and a 4.5 year
actual program (0.5 years × 9 stages gates), totaling to 5 years (Figure 2-2). On the other hand,9students who enroll in the fall become regular program students with a total program duration of 5years. This system, therefore, enables international students unfamiliar with Japan’s research
environment to have sufficient preparation and time to undertake doctoral research. Students who
enroll in Master’s program in April acquire basic academic abilities during the pre-program and arethen tested through the entrance examination.
Table 2-1. Ways and classes to acquire five abilities
AbilityResearch

Practical
Understanding

GlobalPerspectiveSystem
LandscapeLeadership

Way to acquire(1) Research activity in three laboratories
in different areas; (2) Acquisition of highlevels of specialized knowledge throughadvanced researches; (3) Taking Special
Classes from more than one department(1) Practical activities in research anddevelopment workplaces in Japan andoverseas; (2) Classes by invited
individuals associated with a company(1) Practice in expression, discussion,and description in English; (2)Acquisition of economics andsociological knowledge(1) Learning economics, sociology, andenvironmentology; (2) Consilience ofarts and sciences(1) Acting as a leader in International
Exercises; (2) Practice with leadresearchers and/or developers in Japanand overseas; (3) Exercise for researchguidance to younger students

Class(1) Fundamental Research (laboratoryrotation); (2) Doctoral Researches under
the stage gate system; (3) Special Classes(1) Practice School, and Domestic andInternational Internships; (2) Industrial
Systems(1) Two types of International Exercises(A and B); (2) Social, Environmental,and Economic Systems(1) Social, Environmental, and Economic
Systems; (2) International Exercise A(Green Asia Forum) and a free article(1) Two types of International Exercises(A and B); (2) Practice School, andDomestic and International Internships;(3) Research Guidance Exercises(a) Admission
Students enrolled in this program undertake a course of education based on a standard of either
4.5 years (0.5 years × 9 stage gates) or 5 years (0.5 years × 10 stage gates). For those enrolled in amaster’s course at a Japanese university, including this university, the 6 months prior to the entrance
examination constitute a period during which students can develop the requisite abilities to pass the
program’s entrance examination. They also provide a period during which those hesitant to committo 5 years of study at graduate school can carefully consider whether enrollment is the correct pathfor them. While the entrance examination is based on traditional master’s course entrance
examinations, the introduction of the following 5 items ensures the quality of students selected forthe program: (1) Students are required to submit multiple letters of recommendation from teachersand others who have taught the candidate in the past. (2) Those who recommended the candidates
will be interviewed. (3) Written and oral examinations are administered in English. (4) In the written
examination, candidates are tested on their logical thinking, English skills and descriptive abilities
through a small writing assignment; they also take a science and technology examination in their
specialty area, with an increased difficulty level relative to traditional master’s program entrance

10

examinations. (5) Students are required to submit their grades from undergraduate study. Successful
candidates are also given the option of transferring some of the credits obtained through priorgraduate-level study to meet requirements specified by this program. This is an effective way ofincreasing the number of candidates from outside this university and recruiting outstanding students.

Figure 2-1. Green Asia Program Education Model(b) Master’s Course: Cultivation of Fundamentals of Five Abilities in Organized CourseWorks
In addition to majoring in either System Engineering, Material Science, or Resources
Engineering and taking subjects (majors) in one of these fields, students in this course are requiredalso to take two extended specialty courses in fields besides their major fields. By doing so, they
developtheabilitiesofresearchandsystemlandscape.

EnvironmentalStudies,

Sociology/Economics, Industrial Practice, and Practical English are all essential for giving students afirm grounding in the abilities of system landscape, global perspective, and practice.

11Figure 2-2. Stage Gates

In Practice School, emphasis is placed on developing practical skills and leadership ability.
Students spend a month identifying issues of interest under the instruction of the mentoring care unit
(MCU) and spend the following 2 months participating in a business internship or industry–
academia joint research project with the goal of solving their issues in association with a leader(technical mentor) through research and development at a company. The laboratory rotation systemapplies to the first through the third stages gates of research activities. Here, each student conducts
approximately 3 months of Fundamental Research at 3 different laboratories. Students areencouraged to choose laboratories at 2 or more faculties as long as this does not hinder their studies.
In contrast to traditional master’s thesis research, this arrangement provides research guidance with
an emphasis on acquiring research methodologies from different fields.
(c) 1st Stage Gate: Qualifying Examination
Students sit for the qualifying examination (QE) at the end of the third stage gate. Only those
who have met all the requirements relating to their subject grades thus far are eligible to sit for thisexamination. During the QE, students give an oral presentation and answer questions in English on
what they have learned from (1) the subjects they have taken and (2) their research in multiple
majors, along with (3) their practical activities in Practice School. In the written examination,
students are tested on their abilities relating to their specialty area and their understanding of thenature of science and technology through a short essay in English. Grades for the QE are determinedthrough evaluations of these examinations and reports by the student’s MCU (a mentor and a12technical mentor). Only those who receive a grade of “Pass” on the QE can progress to the fourthstage gate.
(d) 2nd Stage Gate: Research Review and Proposal
In the fourth stage gate, students commence work on their doctoral research under the guidanceof an advisor who is not their MCU mentor. Here, students prepare comprehensive and exhaustive
review papers, write a research proposal based on these review essays, and undergo a screening at
the end of the period. Screening is conducted to gauge whether these proposals and reviews are ofsuitable quality and originality to support cutting-edge research. While those who pass the screeningstage acquire credits for Doctoral Research (I), only those who have achieved the requisite numberof credits, overall GPA, and GPA in individual competency areas through the fourth period arepermitted to proceed to the fifth and sixth stage gates.
(e) 3rd Stage Gate: Interim Report
At the end of the sixth stage gate, students submit an Interim Report and undergo screening.
During screening, students are given scores out of a possible 10 points on individual items, with themain criteria consisting of (1) originality, (2) scientific significance, (3) significance from theperspective of Green Engineering, and (4) technical qualities of the report. Only those who havepassed this screening stage (with at least 80 of 100 points) and have achieved the requisite number ofcredits, overall GPA, and GPA in individual competency areas are permitted to proceed to theseventh period.
(f) 4th Stage Gate: Green Asia Article
In International Exercise A: “Green Asia Forum,” held during the fifth through ninth stage gates,
students combine the knowledge that they have developed through debates and discussions on
science, technology, and industrial structures for achieving Green Asia, as well as on industrial
cooperation in Asia and on the nature of societies and economies, with their own specialist
knowledge. Using all this knowledge, in the eighth stage gate, students write a paper on a topic of
their own choosing. These papers are screened by members of the teaching staff in the social
sciences field in charge of International Exercise A, along with the program coordinators and a small
number of external experts. During this screening, students are given scores out of a possible 10
points on individual items, with the main criteria consisting of (1) whether the paper presents aproposal that has the potential to contribute to the simultaneous development of greening andeconomic growth, (2) whether it integrates knowledge of the environment, society, and economics
with specialist knowledge, and (3) whether it presents a multifaceted consideration of science,technology, and industrial collaboration in Asia.
(g) 5th Stage Gate: Doctor Thesis and Final Qualifying Examination
At the end of the ninth stage gate, doctoral thesis screenings are conducted, and these form thefinal requirement for the conferral of degrees. Here, in addition to a doctoral thesis screening fromthe perspective of whether the student has acquired the requisite expertise to earn a degree, students

13are also screened using the same criteria as the third stage gate as a Final QE. This includes theaddition of one or more international researchers who are active overseas as a referee and therequirement for students to have had the research achievements contained in their doctoral thesis
published or accepted for publication in an academic journal with an impact factor over a specifiedvalue. In addition to passing these screenings, eligibility for degree conferral through this program
requires completion of 77 or more credits, a total GPA of 231 or more, and GPA totals for individualcompetency areas that are above the specified values. These requirements are designed to assure that
graduates possess research skills, multifaceted perspectives, international competencies, practicalskills, and overall ability at or in excess of the level specified thereby ensuring the degree conferral
according to the admission policy. One of the characteristics of this program is that, while students
accumulate credits and grades in various subjects, their process of acquiring and integrating skills
can also be apparent, both by the students and others, through their coursework and research as aresult of the many submissions and achievements completed over the duration of the program.
The practice subjects characterizing this program are summarized as follows.
(h) International Exercise A
In the aforementioned Green Asia Forum, a member of the teaching staff in the social sciences
assumes overall leadership and holds lectures (including guest lecturers) and seminars or panel
discussions on issues related to the principles of Green Asia on a monthly basis. Throughparticipation in these forums, students come up with their own research topics (in science andtechnology or social/industrial studies) and conduct research while receiving support from theoverall leader and their MCU. In International Exercise A4, in addition to presenting their own
research, students take charge of a seminar on their topic and guide the discussion, creating a Green
Asia paper based on the results of this seminar, and thereby fulfilling a requirement of the fourthstage gate. Papers that pass the screening stage are published in the program’s journal,“EVERGREEN.” Another goal is for teaching staff in the social sciences and students to publish
papers in journals under joint authorship.
(i) International Exercise B
This program holds the Global Strategy for Green Asia Conference once a year and organizes
the Green Asia Symposium, which presents progress reports for the program, stages lectures by
Asia’s business and academic leaders, and merges insights from the social sciences, scientifictechnology, and industrial technology. In addition to presenting their own research, students playspecific roles as participants in the planning and implementation of this conference. ThroughInternational Internships, researchers and technicians from core overseas partners and othercollaborating bodies act as hosts and provide accepted students with practical guidance on theirresearch and development activity. Hosts act as overseas mentors, continuing to provide students
with guidance as members of MCU. The duration of this is 1 month for identifying specific topics,
meetings, and 2 months of on-site activities.

14(j) Domestic and Overseas Internship Program
By participations in this internship program the students will gain valuable work experience inindustrial and/or research institutes throughout Japan and in key overseas locations, thus fostering
their practical and internship abilities. The various activities will be organized as a sequence ofpractical schools lasting form 1 to 2 months, overseas internship lasting from 2 to 3 months, finally ashort domestic internship of duration 2 to 3 weeks. During the practical school, each student will befree to choose from a range of organizations and potential technical mentors, and then make detailedplans regarding the execution of the project under the guidance of their chosen mentors. Afterapproximately 2 years, the student will have the opportunity to acquire a second period of work
experience with the same host organization and technical mentors as chosen previously.

Figure 2-3. Internship Program(k) Administrative LeadershipThis program is designed to enable students to develop an ability to have a strong initiative, aquality essential to leadership in all specialties. In the Practice School and International Internship,students tackle relevant tasks alongside leaders in research and development. These leaders are
involved in the MCU as technical mentors and overseas mentors, and they provide students withguidance along the way. During the first through fifth stage gates of Industrial Systems, students
study theories of leadership under industry leaders. In International Exercise B, students participate
in the planning and implementation of the Global Strategy for Green Asia Conference, which is held
once a year. In particular, during the ninth stage gate students assume a leadership role in planningand directing this event as part of an organizing committee. During the final stage of International
Exercise A (the eighth stage gate), the students act as seminar moderators, inviting lecturers andestablishing topics for discussion and debate. Research Guidance Exercises are held during theseventh and eighth stage gates. Here students assume partial responsibility for providing research15

guidance to master’s program students who are under the guidance of their doctoral researchadvisors, thus giving them experience in providing instruction to others in their specialty area.
(l) Mentoring and Support System for Students: Mentoring Care Unit
A mentoring care unit (MCU), comprising a world-class senior researcher (mentor: programleader), a junior researcher (tutor: program assistant), an overseas mentor (advisor on theInternational Internship) and a technical mentor (supervisor in the Practice School), guides andsupports each student consistently. The technical and overseas mentors join the MCU in picking atheme for Practice School and guiding the student’s progress through the doctoral course of study,respectively. The mentor submits bimonthly and end-of-the-semester reports on the development of
his or her student’s capabilities to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Green Asia Education
Center. A professor cannot act as both a mentor and a chief referee of one student. With such support
individual areas of specialization, students can acquire a breadth of knowledge that leads to thedevelopment of system landscape ability.
Master’s students attend a serious internship, Practice School, in domestic companies orinstitutes (domestic partner organizations), to gain experiences in research developments under theguidance of the technical mentors. As the students may have heavy workload in Practice School,mentors conduct interviews with their students and the technical mentors, and provide the necessary
support. In their International Internship, the students are supported through partnerships between
mentors and overseas mentors, and between the Green Asia Education Center and the administrative
office of the Program for Leading Graduate Schools.

Figure 2-4. Mentoring Care Unit

2. Admission Policy and Results
2.1. Admission Policy
In this program, which aims to develop doctoral degree holders with a global perspective thattranscends national borders and is based on the fields of resource engineering, material science,system engineering, and environmentology, the goal of course entrance examinations is to select16