In order to stimulate undergraduate education and make economics education more attractive in an era of globalization, Soka University launched since 2001 a series of reforms to develop curricula that better meets the needs of students. The English-language economics program was one outgrowth of this initiative, which also includes promotion of Professional Development (PD) activity for instructors, counseling services for underachieving learners, and innovative approaches to increasing study hours spent outside classes.

The results to date have been significant and inspiring, with student attitudes toward and awareness of learning enhanced, while greatly expanding employment prospects for graduates. It has also encouraged a larger number of high school students in superior academic standing to apply to Soka University.

Under the ministry’s program, unique and superior projects are selected from among various initiatives developed by national, public and private universities (including junior colleges) to improve the quality of university education. Those selected will be used for future improvement of higher education and selected institutions are beneficiaries of government support within the existing assistance allocation budget.

More than 330 national, prefectural, municipal and private universities in Japan applied for the ministry program.