Dean of GSAIS
Kaoru Takara

Wish you all a very Happy and a Prosperous New Year!
This year, 2019, the new emperor will be enthroned and a new era will dawn. Established in April 2013, this year is the seventh year of our Graduate School of Advanced Integrated Studies in Human Survivability (GSAIS = Shishukan). Professors, staffs and students will make further efforts to pursue new development in our activities. We very much appreciate those who have supported and cooperated with us so far and cordially request them to keep in touch with us to give further suggestions and encouragements.
 
The Shishukan has a mission to consilience different disciplines that have been developed in detailed areas, which seeks pathways from analysis to synthesis. To be simple, it is to consider how your discipline contributes to the whole areas of wider discipline that you are dealing with, then consider how your discipline contributes to various issues in the world. It could be said to be philosophy. Let’s have a bird’s eyes view over the whole earth to change it from ant’s eyes. Note that I do not despise ants; I respect that ants are hardworking. Let’s have human’s eyes as well. Let’s consider the world with contemplation and actions that can only be done by the GSAIS (Shishukan) located in Kyoto in Japan. Then we can find out what is consilience. We can find out sustainability and survivability of our planet.
 
Japanese virtues are respected by all over the world. Examples are as follows. Japanese people affected very much by a natural hazard will que-up in an orderly fashion to wait for food; Japanese supporters who enjoyed a World Cup game always cleaned-up the stands after the game; Japanese foods are healthy and beautiful and pleasant to the eye; awesome Ukiyoe, Zen and Japanese gardens; and traditional Japanese martial arts for self-discipline and patience. Kyoto City, which has been the capital of Japan for more than 1,000 years, is also evaluated as one of the top touristic cities in the world with its history and tradition. Located in such an excellent circumstance in Kyoto and in Japan, the Shishukan is, I believe, a relevant entity to establish a new type of higher education as a graduate school and to guide a new direction in Kyoto University, which has an excellent tradition in research and education for more than 120 years.
 
The change of university organization itself is not university reforming. The changing of the ways of students’ learning, professors’ teaching and researching, and staffs’ working should directly result in real university reforms. Let’s do it in your disciplines and consider the world as well.
 
It is often said that “There are many solutions.” However, the action that we can actually take is only one.
 
With the start of this New Year, let’s persevere to take that action and make a difference for the better!