9. FY2021 Progress[Soka University]■ Common Indicators and Targets
Internationalization○ Promotion of study abroad opportunities for Japanese students & effective use of online tools••The COIL educational program, for which preparations began from FY2020, was introduced and began offering modules (subject groups)
together with Kansai University as part of the “Forum for Promoting Internationalization of Universities” project, in which the University
participates. The program for 2022 Spring was completed by some 110 students from 11 countries including 6 students from the University.
The University’s overseas partner institutions has expanded to 227 institutions in 63 countries and regions with the addition of one newcountry, Uganda.

○ Enhancement of support for international students••

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representation in Japan, the United
Nations Association of UNHCR (J4U), and Soka University signed an agreement on a Graduate
School Admission System for Refugee Students Based on Recommendations. Consequently, theUniversity has become the first institution that concluded agreements for both undergraduate andgraduate schools.
In collaboration with the Pathways Japan (PJ) and the Japan International Christian University
Foundation (JICUF), the University will accept a maximum of five Ukraine students who wish tocontinue their studies in Japan as the Ukraine crisis continues.

○ Activities of overseas offices••••

Nairobi liaison office opening ceremony
Attended by representative faculty/staff of theUniversity of Nairobi including Vice-chancellor andExecutive Dean of Faculty of Arts, Ambassador ofthe Embassy of Japan in Kenya, and Soka
University alumni and others

The “University of Nairobi - Soka University Liaison Office” was established on the campus of theUniversity of Nairobi in Kenya in August 2021. This is Soka University’s fifth overseas office, following
the establishment of offices in China, South Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines. The liaison officeplans to provide information and advice to Kenyan students who are considering studying in Japan,offer support for students of Soka University studying in Kenya, and strengthen partnerships withpartner universities in Kenya.
An online academic seminar was held on the theme of “SDGs and Education” jointly with Thammasat
University, Thailand.
The UE-Soka University Friendship Clock was inaugurated on the Caloocan campus of the Universityof the East where the Philippines liaison office is located for further development of exchange between
the universities.
‘Peking University Cherry Tree’ is Forever (working English title), a whole book bilingually translated inJapanese and Chinese, was co-published by the Office of International Relations of Peking University
and the International Department of Soka University to commemorate the 40-year exchange between
the universities.
Liaison office established in the University of Nairobi

Governance reform○ Development of Global Core Initiatives•

A new department “Global Initiatives Office” consisting of the research institutes and Global Core Center was established to further advancethe globalization of the campus, such as globalizing campus management systems and decision procedures.

○ Full-fledged activities using BEVI-j•••In the project "Development and Dissemination of Objective Evaluation Tests for the Effectiveness of International Exchange Programs," theUniversity has been selected as a partner institution (Hiroshima University is the lead institution), and plans to develop a wide range ofcooperation with universities and other institutions in Japan and overseas.
The BEVI-j tests will continue to be conducted for students studying abroad, and preparations are under way to assess the learning outcomesof all students in line with the diploma policies. This is scheduled to be implemented from April 2022 starting with the incoming students ofFY2022.
Started preparation to establish the Japan chapter of IBAVI (International Beliefs and Values Institute), which promotes activities using BEVI-j.
Soka University will become the Japan chapter starting April 2022.

○ Enhancement of collaboration with other universities••

As a collaborating university of the project for building a network of Strategic Partnerships, which aims to strengthen international
competitiveness, adopted as part of the “Japan Forum for Internationalization of Universities" project, Soka University is expanding its
collaboration with other universities, sharing issues concerning strategic partnerships with overseas universities and the experiences/
achievements of good practices and other activities.
In the project’s symposium held in March 2022, a faculty of Soka University presented a showcase example on the University’s strategic
partnership for English language education.

Educational reform○ Initiatives to foster global perspectives•

A series of lectures, “Soka Global Perspectives,” were launched with an aim to provide
opportunities to deepen one’s knowledge. Four lectures have been held so far by internationallyrecognized academics and leading experts, including the Slovenian Ambassador to Japan,
Principal Natural Resources and Agriculture Economist of Asia Development Bank’s South East
Asia Department, the UNDP Representative in Japan, and Director of FAO Liaison Office in Japan.

○ New course: Lectures by the Southern African Development Community(SADC)•Ambassadors to Japan and delegates from eleven SADC member countries paid a courtesy visit
to the University as the SADC’s special lectures will be offered as one of the General Education
Courses for the 2022 Spring semester. The lectures held by inviting ambassadors to Japan anddiplomats will help students expand their global knowledge on the bilateral relationships between
Japan and SADC member countries as well as a wide range of fields such as culture, politics, andeconomy.

Commemorative photo of Ambassadors to Japanand delegates from eleven SADC member countries

[Soka University]■ University’s own indicators and targets○ Increase in the number of students advancing to overseas graduate schools•

The number of students admitted to overseas graduate schools increased from 54 in FY2020 to 58 in FY2021. Major graduate schools
include Harvard University (U.S.), University of Bonn (Germany), University of Glasgow (UK), The University of Melbourne (Australia), The
National University of Singapore (Singapore), University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (France), and Peking University (China).

■ Featured initiatives based on the characteristics of the University○ Enhancement of collaborative research and partnership withexchange universities and institutions in Japan and overseas••

The “11th Daisaku Ikeda International Philosophy Academic Symposium” was held aspart of the 50th-anniversary commemorative project. The first symposium was held atPeking University in 2005 with academics from 11 universities participating, andvarious themes around the philosophy of Soka University Founder have since been
explored.
For this 11th symposium, 80 research papers were submitted from 52 universities andinstitutions in 10 countries and regions under the theme of "Coexistence of Humanity
and Global Citizen Education," and four English breakout sessions and seven Chinese
breakout sessions were held.

Video messages from Dr. Gu Binglin, Former President of theInstitute of Advanced Studies, Tsinghua University, China (left),and Dr. Neelakanta Radhakrishnan, President of the Gandhi
Research Association of India (right)○ Ranked in global and national rankings••In the Times Higher Education (THE) Japan University Rankings 2022, the University
was ranked 5th in the Internationality category, maintaining its top 10 position for threeconsecutive years.
In the QS Asia University Rankings 2022 announced in November 2021, the University
ranked as follows: International faculty: 54th (6th in Japan), Outbound exchange
students: 101st (10th in Japan), Inbound exchange students: 119th (18th in Japan),and International students: 131st (25th in Japan).

Mr. Gaohong, Director of the China-Japan Society (left), and Prof.
Jason Goulah, Director of the Daisaku Ikeda Institute of Education
at DePaul University (right) gave keynote speeches on thephilosophy of humanistic education that fosters ‘global citizens.’○ 50th Anniversary Commemorative Event: “Value Creation x SDGs” series••

As part of the 50th-anniversary commemorative project, the “Value Creation x SDGs” events were held under thetheme of “Global Citizenship Education.” Joint events with the partner universities such as the University of Alcalá andSoka University of America as well as student-organized exhibits, and other events were held.
The event was attended by renowned specialists with diverse backgrounds from around the world, including aprofessor of Osaka University’s Osaka School of International Public Policy, the Director of the Daisaku Ikeda Joint
Research Institute for Education and Development at the University of Alcalá, Vice President of International ChristianUniversity, a professor and the Founding Director of the Development Education Research Centre at University
College London Institute of Education as well as researchers from the partnership universities and institutions.
Panel discussion■ Others○ International conferences••

The 2nd South Asia Research Center Online International Symposium organized by the South Asia Research Center was held and around 350
faculty, staff, students, and researchers attended the event. The keynote speech was delivered by Prof. Atul Khosla, Vice-Chancellor ofShoolini University, India, followed by two-day discussions on each of the section topics.
To commemorate its 45th anniversary, the Soka University Peace Research Institute (SUPRI) held a webinar series on “Promotion of SDGs
and TPNW” to discuss initiatives to strengthen the effectiveness of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and drive
nuclear disarmament.

○ Student activities••

A student was invited to give a speech as the student representative at the thematic session of a sideevent of The Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit 2021, organized by the Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry and Fisheries. The presentation was on the importance of community empowerment ininternational development, referring to the student’s experiences in a training course held in thePhilippines as part of the Global Citizenship Program (GCP).
Team SOBITS, consisting mainly of students from Prof. Choi’s seminar in the Faculty of Science andEngineering, won in two leagues of the RoboCup Asia-Pacific 2021 Aichi Japan (a competition of Asiaand the Pacific Region). The team also received an award presented by the Japanese Society for
Artificial Intelligence. Furthermore, a student from the seminar developed “SOBIT Begin,” a robot
operation system using a visual programing language Scratch, and won the Best Presentation award
at the “2021 5th International Conference on Education and E-Learning (ICEEL).”SOBITS members○ ICRC Exhibition on Humanitarian Principles•

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Japan and the University hosted
the exhibition “Humanitarian Principles. Here and Now” through partnership with the Embassy ofSwitzerland in Japan, the Institut Français de Recherche sur le Japon at Maison Franco-Japonaise(IFRJ-MFJ), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representation inJapan.

Tape cutting at the exhibition opening ceremony