6. FY2018 Progress

Soka University■ Common Indicators and Targets
Internationalization

 Increase in the number of non-Japanese students & improved support• The number rose 2.8 times from 313 in FY2013 (before the launch of Top Global University project/annual) to 866 in FY2018.
Currently in preparation to sign an agreement with a high school in Brazil as the designated school for entrance examinations
on a recommendation (plan to sign in August 2019).
• With the number of students from abroad increasing, foreign language-speaking mental health counselors and other staff arestationed at the Student Counseling Center as one of the services offered by the International Student Support Center, which
is designed to provide international students with a better educational and living environment.
 Promotion of Japanese students’ participation in overseas study programs• The number of Japanese students who participated in a study abroad program with credit approval increased 1.6 times from557 in FY2013 (before project launch) to 875 in FY2018. Exchange agreements with 16 additional overseas universities wereconcluded during FY2018, expanding the number of partnering schools to 212 universities in 61 countries and regions. Facultyhosted study abroad programs linked to the Faculty curricula have been newly developed in the Faculty of Law, Faculty ofNursing, and Faculty of International Liberal Arts.
• At the University of the East, The Philippines, where the university overseas office is located, training courses hosted by theWorld Language Center were established; with more than 90 students participating in FY2018.
• In addition to the VALUE Rubrics utilized to measure the effects of short-term overseas study, a Japanese version (BEVI-j) ofthe BEVI Test, was introduced. The BEVI Test is widely employed primarily in the United States as a means of objective
assessment of study-abroad programs by higher education institutions.
• In July 2018, a training session on overseas crisis management was held for faculty and staff to discuss countermeasures toreduce the occurrence of student involvement in unforeseen circumstances abroad. The Chairperson of the Board of Trustees,
the President, and other leaders also participated in the event and reassured the roles of the countermeasure headquarterand each segment such as contacting family members, dispatching workers, public relations, and general affairs. Furthermore,the ways to gather information, sort tasks, and respond to incidents were clarified.
 Overseas liaison offices’ activities• In August 2018, the University of the East - Soka University International Program
Office was established on the Caloocan campus of the University of the East in
August 2018. The office provides information and advice to students in thePhilippines who are considering studying in Japan, while also assisting Soka
University students studying in the Philippines. The office also operates shortterm English-learning courses and seeks a closer relationship with partnering
universities. This office marks the fourth overseas office, following the ones
opened in China, Thailand, and South Korea.
• In June 2018, Soka University and Thammasat University (Thailand) held a jointseminar under the theme of “Pedagogy for Student-centered Teaching andOpening of Soka Univ. Philippines OfficeTransforming Knowledge into Wisdom toward Peace” (second joint seminar).
The Soka University Thailand office is located on the campus of Thammasat University.
 Outcomes in language education• The number of students who reached the foreign-language skill standard set by the university (equivalent to TOEFL iBT® score
80 and above) increased 4.1 times from 296 in FY2013 (before the project launch) to 1,228 (15.9% of all students) in FY2018.
To improve students’ foreign-language capability, extracurricular programs for nurturing linguistic abilities in the “SPACe”
learning commons, faculty-provided major courses taught in English, and study abroad programs for learning foreign
languages were provided.
• The number of courses taught in foreign languages increased 5.2 times from 120 in FY2013 to 623 in FY2018.

University Reform Functions of the Global Core Center• The Global Core Center was established in 2016 as an organization to constantly promote the Top Global University project
and the globalization of the university itself. The center has been cooperating with faculties, graduate schools, research
institutes, and various departments to establish a structure to concretely facilitate the project and the university’s globalization
efforts through deliberations at the “Global Core Center Meeting” (held twice a month). The center also holds Global Education
Promotion Meetings and Graduate School Global Education and Research Promotion Meetings every semester targeting thedeans of undergraduate and graduate schools to discuss ways to make progress towards the project goals.
• Student participation is indicated clearly as a policy in university initiatives. Student representatives have been participating in
the internal evaluation committee meetings, and opinion exchange sessions on the project progress are also held.
 Increase of international faculty members• As of May 1, 2019, international faculty members etc. accounted for 196 of all 352 teaching staff (constituting 55.7% of thetotal; 43.3% in FY2013 before the project launch) while international administrative staffs etc. accounted for 29 out of 232persons (constituting 12.5% of the total; 2.4% in FY2013).

Educational Reform Expansion of English Medium Programs (EMPs)• Four additional programs were established as EMPs in FY2018, through which students can earn degrees by undergoingeducation in English: the Faculty of Business Administration, the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Letters, and the Graduate
School of International Peace Studies. EMPs expanded from 1 course in FY2013 to 11 courses that are now available.
 Establishment of general education courses “Global Citizenship Education Course Group”• In accordance with the FY2018 curriculum revision, the Global Citizenship Education Course Group was established as a groupof courses that provide global citizenship education under the themes of peace, the environment, development, and humanrights.

Soka University■ University’s Own Indicators and Targets
 Expansion of exchanges with African universities, etc.
• Soka University is promoting exchanges of researchers, graduate school students, etc. with Injibara University and Bahir Dar
University in Ethiopia as part of the Private University Research Branding Project hosted by the Ministry of Education, Culture,Sports, Science and Technology. The number of African universities with exchange agreements is now 13 in nine countries. InFY2018, 36 of our students were dispatched to Africa (13 in FY2013, before the start of Top Global University Project).
 Number of students joining global companies• The number of students who received job offers from or were employed by global companies listed in US business magazine
Fortune’s Global 500 rankings and other employers increased 1.6 times from 103 in FY2013 (before the start of this project)
to 160 in FY2018.
 Increase in the number of students advancing to overseas graduate schools• The number of students who passed entrance exams for overseas graduate schools increased from 30 in FY2013 (before thestart of this project) to 47 in FY2018. Major overseas graduate schools include the University of Florida, the University ofIllinois, Columbia University, Soka University of America, all in the US; the University of Queensland in Australia; the Universityof Auckland in New Zealand; and Peking University in China.

■ Featured Initiatives Based on the Characteristics of the University
 Launch of Graduate School of International Peace Studies
The Graduate School of International Peace Studies was launched in AY2018 to practice education and research concerning “theestablishment of a peaceful and sustainable global society.” Eight full-time faculty members were selected from among
applicants for the job opening advertised internationally (seven of them are non-Japanese). All classes and research at the school
are conducted in English.
 Prospects and Possibilities for Japan’s 2019 G20 Osaka Summit
International Conference heldA research conference was held at Soka University on Dec. 10, 2018, to discuss
issues in preparation for the G20 Summit to be held in Osaka in June 2019. It
was hosted jointly by Soka University’s Peace Research Institute, University ofToronto’s G20 Research Group, Griffith University’s Asia Institute, and theRussian Presidential Academy of National Economy & Public Administration. The
event was attended by about 30 people, including diplomats, researchers, andbusiness people. Session meetings were held on such themes as the world
economy, gender, sustainable development, and climate change.

A scene from G20 Research Conference Ranked 100th – 200th in THE University Impact Rankings (tied 4th place within Japan)
As part of its world university rankings, Times Higher Education (THE) of UK announced THE University Impact Rankings in April
2019. The rankings, using the UN-led SDGs as indicators, ranks global universities by their track records on research andinitiatives. Soka University was ranked as follows.
・Overall world rankings: 100th – 200th (tied 4th within Japan)
・SDG 16 “Peace & justice”：61st worldwide (3rd within Japan) ・SDG 17 “Partnerships：95th worldwide (8th within Japan)* Also ranked in other goals such as “quality education” and “decent work & economic growth.” Soka University President Assumes Vice Presidency of ASAIHL• Soka University President Yoshihisa Baba assumed the post of Second Vice
President of the Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning(ASAIHL) in December 2018. In March 2018, the annual general assembly ofASAIHL was held at Soka University (first time in Japan).

■ Free Descriptions
 Int’l meetings, contests, etc. joined by students (main events only)• SOBITS from the Choi Research Office of Soka University’s Faculty of Science andEngineering placed second in a global competition in the Partner Robot (VirtualSpace) of the World Robot Summit 2018 (held in October 2018).
•A Soka University student took part in the G(irls)20 Global Summit Argentina
2018 (in December 2018) as a participant representing Japan (it was the fourthstraight year for a Soka University student to participate in the summit). Thesummit is an international women’s conference launched in 2009 by the Clinton
Global Initiative set up by former US President Bill Clinton to foster female
leaders for the next generation. The ninth summit was attended by female
representatives from 25 countries and regions, mainly from the G20 nations.

•Six students from Soka University’s Faculty of International Liberal Arts
participated in the International Young Inventors Awards 2018 (September 2018)
in Indonesia as the first Japanese team. They were also the only team who wereawarded a Gold Award, the Best Presenter Award, and an International Best
Invention Award, winning the honors simultaneously among 317 groups from 15
countries.

Placed 2nd at World Robot Summit 2018

Soka University student took part in the G(irls)20
Global Summit 2018 for the 4th year running