100 Years of Tradition and New Challenges Toward Future

　Economics differs in a significant way from the natural sciences. While natural sciences deal with tangible materials, economics concerns not only materials but also the social behavior of human beings. The analysis of human social behavior—particularly the identification of problems and formulation of theories—strongly reflects the values and sense of purpose of people. These values and purposes vary greatly among individuals and evolve across generations. Studying differences in human values and sense of purpose falls within the realm of moral philosophy and logic. However, retracing the roots of economics reveals its origins as a branch of moral philosophy.

　Since its inception, economics has aspired to be a science akin to the natural sciences. Yet, it has been built upon a foundation of moral philosophy, emphasizing individual values and sense of purpose. Thus, economics is an academic field with two dimensions—a scientific aspect and a moral (or moral science) aspect. We encourage undergraduate students to keep these dual aspects in mind.

　During the first two undergraduate years, it is crucial to enroll in courses that provide economic and management literacy to learn mathematical and quantitative economic analysis techniques. This will develop logical thinking skills. However, such technical proficiency alone is insufficient for studying economics. Students must also cultivate the ability to understand current economic and social systems from a broader perspective, interpret them meaningfully, and express their ideas in their own words. This broader ability requires engaging with humanities subjects to explore ideas and philosophies and with fields that employ narrative approaches to learning.

　The same applies to graduate students. When writing academic papers, graduate students need to clearly organize complex ideas that may still be in early stages of development and express them effectively. Without this capability, research ideas and outcomes will remain unrefined, hindering the production of high-quality papers.

　In 2014, we celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Faculty of Economics. To mark the occasion, we hosted four memorial meetings featuring invited speakers from Japan and abroad, centered on the theme of “Globalization.” With globalization reaching a new stage of development in the early 21st century, we faced challenging questions about the future of education. In response, the faculty established the “Global Diploma Program in Economics” (GProE) to develop globally oriented human resources within the undergraduate program.

　This program aims to cultivate professionals systematically equipped with specialized knowledge of international and local economies to address the demands of this globalized era. Undergraduate students selected for this program receive advanced expertise alongside strong English communication, presentation, and discussion skills rooted in their academic focus.

　In 2024, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Faculty of Economics. We are committed to working collaboratively with undergraduate and graduate students to develop new approaches to education and research, with integrated faculty and graduate schools, to effectively address the needs of this globalized era.