Okinawa Institue of Science and Technology

OIST is one of the most interesting initiatives in world scientific research and education. It has very high ambitions to become established as one of the great research universities. The Japanese Government has a clear vision for setting up an international, interdisciplinary university that will produce the future leaders for rapidly changing needs of global research and business.

The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology is an interdisciplinary graduate school offering a 5-year PhD program in Science. Over half of the faculty and students are recruited from outside Japan, and all education and research is conducted entirely in English.

The OIST Graduate University shall conduct internationally outstanding education and research in science and technology, and thus contribute to the sustainable development of Okinawa, and promote and sustain the advancement of science and technology in Japan and throughout the world.

We must hire the best people in the world. Ultimately the reputation of a university is created by the excellence of its faculty, its students, its staff and management. These professors must form research units that are reasonably small but which work in a larger context of support from the whole university. The research units must be helped to start independent research as soon as possible. Professors, researchers and students must have the opportunity and encouragement to establish multidisciplinary contacts and subsequently collaborations. Clearly sufficient core and flexible external funding are a foundation for success, as is periodic peer review by world-class experts.

Measured by these criteria OIST has all the ingredients needed to make it into the top league of universities worldwide. This website shows that OIST has succeeded in attracting the very best professors from all around the world to carry out top-level research in Okinawa. There is strong evidence that the interdisciplinary ambition is now a reality with many units working on common projects. We have recently hired several new faculty and we intend to have their units up and running in a very short time.

Central Concepts:

• Best in the World: Recruit the best students in the world to work in an environment that encourages creativity, uniqueness, and diversity.
• International: Recruit over half of the faculty and student body from outside of Japan and use English as the official language.
• Flexible: Encourage innovation, creativity, and adaptability; accommodate new initiatives; ensure a thoroughly interdisciplinary academic environment; and treat every student as a unique individual.
• Global Networking: Host, attend, and participate in international meetings, conferences, workshops, and other events to enhance the university’s visibility and increase research and education opportunities.
• Collaboration with Industry: Create an environment where research outcomes are developed and applied by industry for the benefit of society, the sustained development of Okinawa, and the competitiveness of Japan.

What makes OIST different:

• English: The international language of science used in peer-review journals and international conferences is also the daily operational language
• International: Half of students and faculty are recruited from outside Japan.
• Interdisciplinary: Collaboration and exchange between specialities is encouraged by such things as the absence of administrative departments, campus architecture, and the curriculum of the graduate program.
• Education: With a 2:1 student to faculty ratio, students do research side-by-side with top-class researchers as they work toward their degrees.
• Funding: OIST is a Special Private School Corporation, funded mostly by the Japanese government but granted the administrative freedom to take innovative initiatives.
• Location: Okinawa is a beautiful tropical island in the center of Asia’s rapid economic development, but as a part of Japan, it enjoys all the convenience and stability of a developed nation.
• Commitment: OIST strives to provide an environment for work and study where each individual is valued and encouraged to realize his or her potential.