The University of Tokyo
WINGS-PES

This “World-leading Innovative Graduate Study Program in Proactive Environmental Studies (WINGS-PES)” fully takes advantage of the platform for “Transdisciplinary Fusion” established by the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, and based on the principles of sustainability studies that analyze polysemous issues related to the sustainability of the global society from a wide perspective, the program is committed to training “environmental knowledge professionals” who can foresee future issues and proactively propose directions in which the international society should move forward. Specifically, in addition to the advanced specialized training in individual fields of study at the affiliated departments, program students are provided with an attractive and systematic education that includes acquiring basic knowledge and developing advanced abilities in international communication and sustainability studies, the “Proactive Research Commons” to understand proactive approaches based on sophisticated data analysis and forecast techniques for large-scale and complex systems, as well as the cutting-edge “Environmental Knowledge Professional Practicum” activities performed both domestically and internationally.

Another unique feature of this five-year integrated program is the Salon of Excellence. Held on a regular basis, the Salon of Excellence is led by program students and promotes communication among members from different fields, creating a place where they can understand the cutting edge of various academic research, while at the same time stimulating and encouraging each other to improve their own research.

The word “environment” is indeed polysemous and can have various different meanings. We anticipate that through this program, all students grow up to be “pro”-minded “environmental knowledge pro” who can not only be active on a global scale for a long time but also “pro”-actively grasp the issues of “environment” that they are dealing with, foresee future issues in advance, and show the world the path it should take.

UENISHI Koji
Professor,
Department of Advanced Energy,
Graduate School of Frontier Sciences

The Graduate School of Frontier Sciences has been developing for 25 years since its foundation with the keywords of “Transdisciplinary Fusion” and “Adventure of Knowledge”. Environmental issues are to be considered in terms of knowledge, ideas, and attitudes in various fields. It is very important for the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences to lead this program in the direction of solving environmental problems, and we are proceeding with responsibility and awareness as a graduate school.

It is very important that you spend time with your peers and grow over the next five years. We want all students in the program to think freely, make trials, and move forward. We expect you to learn what you need to know, build up your logic, and then take on new challenges while discussing them with students and faculty from a variety of fields.

Environmental studies are the study of the diverse perspectives from which we live on or beyond the Earth, including the places where we live and the technologies we use. It is still a developing field, and graduate students are at the stage where they can make the most important contributions. It is very important for “environmental studies” to combine the new sensibilities, rich imagination, and strength of young people with the interaction of people from a variety of backgrounds. WINGS-PES provides these important factors and is an excellent opportunity for those who are interested in thinking about a new vision of the earth and society while advancing their academic studies. The students who are already in the program are engaged in unique activities, and there are opportunities for people from various fields to discuss issues from various perspectives on their own initiative. “We create WINGS-PES ourselves.” We strongly hope that students with such a positive attitude will join us.

TOKUNAGA Tomochika
Dean, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences

(The message can also be viewed in the video by clicking here.)