Yokohama National University

With the start of the 21st century, the international community entered an era where the growth of emerging economies, such as BRICS and Southeast Asian nations, holds the key to globalization. Latin American and African countries also look poised to enter a period of growth in the near future. Yokohama National University (YNU) calls this era the “new global age.” We are seeking sustainable development for the world and Japan by focusing our attention on emerging economies in Asia and beyond.

To be successful in this new global age requires a thorough understanding of the cultures, religions, and systems of emerging economies. What will be critical in this context is education and research that integrate the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. YNU houses its humanities and social science colleges and its science and engineering colleges on the same campus so the university has great potential to offer education and conduct research suited to the new global age.

In addition, YNU is deeply connected to its local area of Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Yokohama has great potential for innovation while at the same time facing many challenges, including environmental issues and population aging with the decline in the birthrate. Many of these challenges are also shared by other parts of the world. YNU is confident that paying attention to and addressing the issues of Yokohama will in fact develop a global perspective: a unique viewpoint that can simultaneously consider both the local and the global. Harnessing the merits of having a single campus that brings together the humanities and the sciences and is home to many international students from emerging economies, YNU will develop human resources equipped to thrive in the new global age.