What is the Grand Design Initiative?： | SOKA UNIVERSITY GRAND DESIGN

The Grand Design Initiative is a large-scale, long-term dedicated plan executed by Soka University. Please look at the contents of the Grand Design Initiative depicting a vision of the Soka University of the future.

The contents of the Grand Design Initiative are available below:

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Overview

Soka University Grand Design Initiative Aiming for the 50th Anniversary of the Founding

The Soka University Grand Design Initiative announced in 2010 represents the vision of Soka University and sets forth comprehensive, specific initiatives towards its 50th anniversary. The Initiative proposes strategic goals and plans to guide the University’s development as a competitive university in the context of the declining birth rate in Japan and the growing diversity of the Japanese society.

The Initiative has the following objectives as its pillars:

To foster capable individuals who will contribute to society based on the University’s three founding principles
To create an education and research system to foster such capable individuals
To develop a broad and robust environment to support the education and research system

Strategy to Pave the Way toward the 50th Founding Anniversary

Soka University’s aspirations towards its 50th anniversary can be stated in one phrase: “A university that fosters creative individuals based on its founding principles. “

The Founding Principles of Soka University:

1. Be the highest seat of learning for humanistic education
2. Be the cradle of a new culture
3. Be a fortress for the peace for humankind

A cornerstone of a private university is its founding principles. The vision of Soka University is to foster “creative individuals” who contribute to society based on the university's founding principles. The Grand Design Initiative is the mid-term plan to actualize that vision.

Concept

創造的人間体系図

“Creative Individuals”

Since its founding in 1971, Soka University has consistently developed innovations with the aim of putting its founding principles into practice. The phrase “creative individuals” sums up the kind of student that the university aims to foster. The figure below illustrates how such “creative individuals” can be defined.

A University that fosters “Creative Individuals”

The fundamental competencies of creative individuals are “intellectual capability” and “strength of character.” “Intellectual capability” represents skills to analyze, integrate, and create based on reading, writing, listening, and speaking. “Strength of character” means having the capacity to put belief into practice and to collaborate with others. Through developing their “intellectual capability” and “strength of character,” students can discover their own potential.
Soka University here declares that the power that each individual student possesses is “individual potential”. Moreover, the university upholds its slogan “Discover Your Potential” to continue to strive to fulfill these students’ individual potential and to foster “creative individuals.”
“Creative individuals” are the ones who exert themselves to consistently develop their own “intellectual capability” and “strength of character,” and the university dedicates itself to fostering such capable individuals.

Process

Mid-term plan comprising 3 stages

Since its founding in 1971, Soka University has consistently undergone reforms and developed innovations with the aim of putting its founding principles into practice and become the highest seat of learning for humanistic education. To capture the vision of Soka University towards the 50th anniversary, the University has reviewed its traditions and achievements and created the Grand Design Initiative with objectives focusing on three major pillars: to foster capable individuals who will contribute to society based on the University’s three founding principles; to create education and research programs to foster such capable individuals; and to develop a broad and robust environment to support such education and research programs. In achieving these objectives, Soka University strives to develop into the role model of a leading-edge advanced university.

Announcement of the Annual Educational Goals, President Vision (Education Vision)

The President of Soka University has announced an annual University Education Vision at the start of each academic year since 1998 when the Education Vision was announced. Soka University collects a wide range of feedback from its offices and departments and assesses the degree of achievement and development at the end of each academic year. This working process creates a cycle to propel the creation of a new Education Vision for the following year, and this virtuous cycle forms the backbone of the university management.

Until now, the President of Soka University has announced visions and goals of each fiscal year with the name of “Educational Vision”. In recent years, the Educational Vision has been announcing its visions and also regarding initiatives of the Grand Design, such as education, research, student support, international exchanges, and lifelong education. The content, not only about education, it has been covering a wide range of topics. Therefore, starting from this fiscal year, the name of the announcement of the efforts will change from “Educational Vision” to “President Vision.”

Initiatives by Fields

Various Initiatives Taken Aiming towards the Realization of the Grand Design Initiative

Based on the proposals from various subcommittees and through discussions in the Grand Design Initiatives Development Committee, Soka University Grand Design Initiatives General Strategy Council was set up in February 2009 to develop a comprehensive vision with coherency and consistency. The Council emphasized the goals, objectives, and substantive matters necessary for capturing the comprehensive vision.
Concrete initiatives towards the year 2020 will be taken in the following categories: Education Strategy, Research Strategy, International Strategy, Student Support Strategy, Correspondence Education, and other plans to support such initiatives: Campus and Finance Plan, Administration Plan, PR Planning and Stakeholder Strategy.