Nihon University's Legacy and the Path Toward Society 5.0

Since its inception in 1886, Nihon University has been preparing highly motivated students to meet a plethora of challenges in various fields to become active contributing members of society. Nihon University’s founder and former Minister of Justice, Count Akiyoshi YAMADA, joined the highly consequential Iwakura Mission from 1871 to 1873. The Iwakura Mission was a significant event in Japan's history, where a group of officials and scholars traveled to the United States and Europe to study Western practices and technologies, aiming to modernize Japan. Confronting Western culture, he became keenly aware of the unique aspects of Japanese culture and recognized the need to develop laws tailored to its needs. Upon his return, he engaged in creating Japanese laws and establishing a new educational institution named Nihon Law School which was the beginning of what would later become known as the College of Law, Nihon University. Since then, through changing its name to Nihon University in 1903, various colleges and schools were established, leading to the present day with 12 colleges and 4 schools with a total of 86 departments -- the largest university system in Japan. The number of alumni currently surpasses 1.26 million.

One of the characteristic features of Nihon University is that all academic fields related to Humanities, Sciences and Medicine, co-exist within a single university. Additionally, the institution is rich in diversity, boasting comprehensive education that spans from kindergarten through to graduate school. This approach fosters innovative skills, aligning with the needs of contemporary society. Nihon University as an educational institution, aims to produce “H-type” human resources. An “H-type” human resource refers to an individual who embodies both deep expertise in a specific field and the ability to collaborate with others across different disciplines. The metaphor comes from the shape of the letter “H”. A person with innovative skills should not only nurture his/her specialized abilities (represented by the horizontal line of the “H”) but also be able to collaborate with those from other fields (represented by the vertical lines of the “H”). Such individuals can contribute to innovation by combining their specialized skills with others in different fields, thereby fostering the creation of new ideas, products, and values collaboratively.

In such a rich academic environment, students can deepen their knowledge in their chosen specialties while simultaneously engaging in interdisciplinary learning and research. The broad knowledge cultivated at Nihon University will prove beneficial in Society 5.0, a concept developed in Japan that envisions a society where the physical and virtual domains are intricately intertwined to create a better world where technology and humanity coexist harmoniously. As the variety and volume of information continue to grow, so does the proliferation of “fake news” and “deepfakes.” This surge makes the ability to discern the accuracy of information increasingly crucial. In this context, having a broad base of knowledge becomes vital. Nothing is more convincing than first-hand experience.

To further enhance its unique attributes, Nihon University is launching various educational Digital Transformation (DX) initiatives related to all aspects of the institution including academic affairs, research, and student life. A comprehensive Data Collection and Analysis System (D-CAS) and a Learning Management System (LMS) have already been established to progress toward DX objectives. The LMS, which is the de facto standard in western countries, is provided to all faculty, administrative staff, and students from Nihon University’s junior high schools through to graduate-level programs. Leveraging a wealth of data from learning and teaching activities enabled by DX initiatives, Nihon University aims to become a globally recognized, data-driven institution with a focus on personalized education and AI integration. DX solutions are also being extended to the new Nihon University overseas campus in Newcastle, Australia, which aims to promote a more international approach to education.

Nihon University has a rich history and tradition that goes back over 130 years. Paying respect for founders and graduates, we have taken advantage of the university’s abundant resources to continue innovating under the university’s educational philosophy of “Independent Creativity.” This philosophy is composed of three concepts: 1) self-driven learning, 2) self-driven thinking, and 3) forging one’s own path. By engaging with each student with sincerity, their knowledge will expand and their spirit of innovation will flourish. Nihon University graduates continue to thrive as they take on leading roles in building Society 5.0.