Hello everyone, I am Choi Kit Yan from Hong Kong. After graduating from my bachelor degree, I have worked as a social worker for several years. I am interested in conducting research in peace and gender studies in building my learning path. I believe that world peace is not just an idealistic philosophy, but it actually starts from the actions of each and every one of us whilst value creation enhances everyone’s lives. Let’s become an all-rounded citizen to ‘Think Globally, Work Locally’ and spread the concept of peace!

Hello, I’m Seungjin from South Korea! I am really happy to be a part of SIPS because I can learn our founder’s vision for peace and various interests regarding International Relations through the program. I’m especially interested in the amity between South Korea and Japan, so I would like to work in the field that I can contribute to improvement of the relations of two countries after graduation. I appreciate all my wonderful comrades and professors of SIPS.

My name is Esther Garrett and my first impression of the School of International Peace Studies is that it truly allows me to express my ideas and thoughts which are always encouraged and validated. Each lecture is very thought provoking as it challenges me to widen my perspective of thinking; I am extremely happy with this course. My research interests are based on viewing climate change as structural violence. This includes looking at the economic, legislative and agricultural repercussions and how it affects third world countries and indigenous communities.

Hello! My name is Jiyun Jeoung. I am from South Korea. My childhood dream was traveling around the world. And now, my dream comes true here in SIPS. By associating with friends and professors from different backgrounds and interests, I feel I am on a trip now! Diverse courses and flexible education system enable me to broaden my perspective and think about social issues as a global citizen. In particular, based on peace and international relation studies, I would like to research to prove that living in harmony with nature is more valuable. Would you like to join in the journey?

This newly launched SIPS Program of SOKA University is a lucky opportunity for me to continue my studies after the Bachelor Degree, which is B.A in English Language. During my undergraduate studies, I acquired knowledge about English Language and International Studies. With my interest in international issues and the research plan in Transnational Crime Studies, I came here to become a member of the SIPS. What SIPS attracted me most is its perspective of peace and global citizenship, because I believe that improvements start from mindset. Hopefully we could work together and academically contribute back to the program.

SIPS provides a good platform to broaden my mind on international relations and peace studies. It is a very practical course for a master student as we not only learn what is going on with the global issues nowadays, but also stimulate our creativity and develop our own potential to come up with possible solutions. Through the whole learning process, we are gradually exploring the ways to achieve world peace of 21st century. My research interest is using arts and culture in conflict transformation and peacebuilding, and I believe that this course will best guide me towards my future career.

I truly believe in education as the basis to empower each individual to change the world. Here at Soka University, I have been discovering my potential. Soka means creating value and in International Peace Studies I am in contact with excellent friends from around the world. Every day I challenge my limits and study hard. The master is a brilliant course composed of people from diverse countries and cultures; each class seems like a symposium of global citizenship and human rights; I learned a lot. As a journalist and educator, the SIPS's curriculum is rich and important because my intention is to improve my skills for an international career. All my gratitude to Soka University's founder Dr. Daisaku Ikeda to create this multiethnic environment where the main rules are making good friends and being happy.

I came to Soka University in SIPS with an expectation to just learn from the textbooks that will be facilitated by the faculty. But the vast and diverse experience of faculty and richness of the information from the students from 8 different countries is helping me enrich my own experience and depth of knowledge. Every day is a new day and a new learning. Facilities and faculties support and conduct seminars / workshops for us to help address any issues. This course is helping me actualize my dream of working for peace in society. I am working towards contributing to society by preparing myself to work with United Nations Organization.

The primary reason for me taking up this program was that when I expressed to the professors about my area of interest, they did not try to generalize or streamline it. Instead, they thoroughly encouraged me to pursue it. This faith that they have in you and the constant push that they give you to achieve it is something I am really grateful for. This course is demanding but it is at the same time extremely liberating and very humbling. It forces one to consider perspectives that were otherwise not thought about. It is this aspect that makes the program as wonderful as it is.

Opening your mindset and insightful academic experiences! SIPS program not only provides knowledge on world wide’s problem but also deepen our mindset that we live in such a borderless world and bear the responsibilities as the habitants of the earth. The learning process which emphasizes on the notion of interconnectedness within the global citizenship’s perspective broaden our mind to evaluate problem within each country border with the viewpoint on the wholeness of the world. I believe that this course plays important role in generating “agents of change” around the world to achieve world peace of 21st century.

I am thrilled to be part of SIPS first cohort.The highlight of the course is the diversity of the faculty and the students which is crucial for any course. We have an amazing reservoir of the highly qualified and experienced faculty who are accelerating the growth and development of each student in the cohort. The course is quite intense however extremely rich in it's content. The International Peace Studies course is designed keeping in mind the growing challenges facing the society and the world at large and providing students with the cutting edge knowledge, depth and critical analytical skills that are needed to carry out meaningful and contributive research in their respective fields of interest and actualizing the global citizenship perspective. The education at Soka is unique and also focuses on the inquiry based learning, encouraging students to question, challenge and come up with their own unique way to change the ails of society. Lets discover our potential together as global citizens.