WINGS環境調和農学
国際卓越大学院教育プログラム

World-leading Innovative Graduate Study Program

of the Sustainable Agriculture Education Program

（Application Guidel ines for FY 2024 ）

Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences (GSALS)

1. Program Objective

Rapid population growth and expansion of human activities have placed significant strain on the environment, and the resulting environmental degradation is now threatening the future of humanity.

In order to increase food production to support the booming population, forests are being converted into agricultural lands and intensive farming is spreading around the world, inducing changes to ecosystems and affecting the climate. It is now feared that the shift in rainfall patterns caused by climate change will have a negative impact on agriculture, forestry, and fishery industries and ecosystem services.

Population will continue to expand and the economy will continue to grow in developing countries, creating more demand for food and biological resources. Damaging factors of the environment are less likely to diminish and more likely to increase.

In view of the current situation, Agricultural Science is faced with a challenging problem of increasing food productivity while reducing the environmental burden on a global scale, all under the changing climate.

To curve out a solution for this grave problem, experts from specialized fields need to come together to develop advanced technologies such as modeling the effect of climate change, adaptation of omics information on crop breeding, crop management using ICT, increasing productivity by automatic operating machines, monitoring illegal logging by remote sensing, etc. and work toward the common goal of creating a sustainable future.

It is also imperative to address problems pertaining to social systems such as reconstructing optimal land use by adequate allocation of forest and farmland, optimizing distribution and consumption to avoid food waste, and assessing the environmental load of food production (LCA), as well as develop complete nutritional diets for efficient nutritional intake and functional foods for extending healthy life span. There is a dire need for professionals who can work together with society to promote understanding and reform the global environmental systems surrounding people.

As of now, there are few people with expertise in practical agriculture as well as knowledge on data-driven Agricultural Science empowered by the most advanced Information Technology. It is the mission of the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies and the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, to provide, through this program, an education integrating Agricultural Science and advanced Information Science, with a goal to produce skilled scientists who are indispensable today.

2. Development of Human Resources

(1) Highly Skilled Specialists

This program aims to foster experts specializing in sustainable biological productivity, realizing global environmental conservation, and acquiring expertise in practical Agricultural Science and cutting-edge Information Technology skills, by collaborating with diverse stake holders.

 (2) Expected Skills at the Program Completion

・High-level research capabilities in Agricultural Science and innovative Information Science Technology skills

・Capabilities of planning and directing sustainable biological productivity-related business through close partnerships with diverse professionals, carefully considering global environmental damage.  

3. Prerequisite

Qualifications:

(a)Those who are currently enrolled in the first year in “Master’s course” (first and second year students), Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences(GSALS), Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, or Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, or “Doctoral Course in VMS”, GSALS, as of October, 2024.

(b) Those who enrolled in April,2023, October,2023, and April,2024.

Requirements:

・ Applicants must pursue a doctoral degree in the Department they belong to (except for students enrolled in the “Doctoral Course in VMS”, GSALS).

・ Applicants must apply for JSPS Research Fellowship for young scientists.

*Successful applicants must remain in this program in the case when they are selected as a JSPS Research Fellow.

・ Applicants must obtain the supervising professor’s approval.

Important Note:

・Be sure to fully understand the program objective and completion requirements

Annual Acceptance: 10

Starting Date: October, 2024

​

4. Selection Methods

• Qualities that enable students to fulfill the requirements for completion within the standard term of study will be evaluated and selected according to the following criteria.

(1) English

(2) Oral Interview

• The role of Agricultural　Science in solving contemporary social issues and shaping a sustainable global society

• Open perspective and immense knowledge related to Agricultural Science

• Logical/critical thinking abilities

(3) Application Screening

• Test Dates

Oral exam：Tuesday, July 23, 2024 , （About 30 minute）

【Notes】

• Details of test dates and venue will be sent by mail later.

• Depending on the results of the written exam and screening of the application, an interview may not be conducted. Those applicants will be notified by mail.

• The English examination will be reviewed based on the TOEFL iBT score taken by the individual or the English score at the time of the graduate school entrance examination(only for students affiliated with the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences)..

5. Application procedures

Application Documents:

Form 1, Form 2（English grade）, Form 3（Recommendation letter from Supervisor）

*If necessary, there may be cases where additional documents are required.

*The TOEFL iBT score taken by the individual must be an Official Score Report dated within two years of the time of application. If the Official Score Report cannot be submitted in time, the Test Taker Score Report may be submitted. You must also be sure to complete the procedure for sending the Official Score Report, as we will be checked against the Official Score Report held by ETS online.

＜Official Score Request DI Code : 1113＞

*Those who submit your English grade at the time of graduate school entrance examination for the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, please submit the "Application for Certificate" at DAIGAKUIN GAKUSEI TANTOU, Academic Affairs Division.

Application period: Wednesday, June 26 -Friday, June 28, 2024

(Bring the application documents in person or send them by mail. If you send them by mail, it must arrive on June 28th.)

Postal Address:

Academic Affairs Division (Sustainable Agriculture Education Program)

Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo

1st Floor, Agriculture #3 Bldg. 1-1-1, YAYOI, BUNKYO-KU, TOKYO 113-8657 JAPAN　 

Office Hours: 9：00- 12：00 a.m.  1：00- 5：00 p.m. p.m. Mailing is also acceptable (until 6/28, 5:00p.m. arrival).

Acceptance notifications are scheduled for early August, 2024 (to be notified at a later).

6. Course Highlights

Compulsory Subjects: Mathematical sciences in agriculture (worth 2 credits)

　Those enrolled in this program are expected to learn the principles of biological productivity and environmental impact in the agriculture, forestry, and fishery industries and to learn fundamental aspects of integration of Agricultural Science and Information Science.　

Compulsory Elective Subjects: One EarthologyⅠ～Ⅲ and Practical Training in the Sustainable Agriculture Education ProgramⅠ～Ⅲ (worth 2 credits respectively)

(Ⅰ) enables students to acquire problem-finding skills and deeply understand the social role of Agricultural Science

(Ⅱ) enables students to improve decision-making abilities and consensus-building process       in a business internship setting

(Ⅲ) enables students to develop expertise through hands-on experience 

 Elective Subjects:

   Common subjects of Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences

   e.g. relevant fields, and information processing, etc.

​7. Requirements for Program Completion

(1) Earn 12 credits in total from the specified list of common subjects below.

Department, Subject, Credits

【Compulsory subject】

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Mathematical sciences in agriculture, 2

【Optional compulsory subject】（4 units or more）

Agricultural and Life Sciences, One Earthology Ⅰ, 2

Agricultural and Life Sciences, One Earthology Ⅱ, 2

Agricultural and Life Sciences, One Earthology Ⅲ, 2

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Practical Training in the Sustainable Agriculture Education Program Ⅰ, 2

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Practical Training in the Sustainable Agriculture Education Program Ⅱ, 2

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Practical Training in the Sustainable Agriculture Education Program Ⅲ, 2

【Elective subject】　

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Sequence Statistics and Mathematical Biology, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Introduction to Genome Informatics

,1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Introduction to Biostatistics, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Knowledge Information Processing, 

1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Sequence Statistics and Mathematical Biology, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Molecular Modeling and Simulation

, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Omics Analysis, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Functional Genomics, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Introduction to Systems Biology, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Introduction to Structural Bioinformatics, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Field Informatics, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Special Lectures on Agricultural Bioinformatics Ⅰ, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Special Lectures on Agricultural Bioinformatics Ⅱ, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Special Lectures on Agricultural Bioinformatics Ⅲ, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Special Lectures on Agricultural Bioinformatics Ⅳ, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Special Lectures on Agricultural Bioinformatics Ⅰ, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Research Exercise on Agricultural Bioinformatics, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Food Science Seminar Series Ⅰ, 2

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Food Science Seminar Series Ⅱ, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Food Science Seminar Series Ⅲ, 2

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Topics in Biomass Utilization Research Ⅰ, 2

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Topics in Biomass Utilization Research Ⅱ, 2

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Biomass Utilization Research Seminar Ⅰ, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Biomass Utilization Research Seminar Ⅱ, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Seminar for Global Agriculture and Culture, 2

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Practices in Global Agriculture and Culture, 4

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Biodiversity and Agriculture, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Training in Nature Restoration Operation Monitoring, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Agro-Informatics Seminar, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Writing a Research Proposal, 2

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Writing a Research Article, 2

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Science Communication, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Seminar in Science Communication, 1

Agricultural and Life Sciences, Colloquium on the Creation of New Earth
Orientated Industries, 1
Agricultural and Life Sciences, Innovation and Social Implementation in University, 1

Frontier Sciences, Research Ethics and Clinical Ethics I, 1

Frontier Sciences, Basic Lecture for Data Science for Drug Development, 1

Frontier Sciences, Data Mining for Biology, 1

Frontier Sciences, Software and Algorithm Design for Biology, 1

Frontier Sciences, Fundamental Course I, 2

Frontier Sciences, Debate on Ethics in Science and Technology, 2

Frontier Sciences, Statistical Analysis for Biosciences, 1

​ (2) Confirm the required credits for each Graduate School

e.g. Master’s program : 30 credits 　Doctoral program: 20 credits

Doctoral course in Veterinary Medical Sciences: 32 credits (GSALS)

 (3) Pass the Master’s/PhD thesis examination (PhD only in VMS)

8. Evaluation

QE（Qualifying Examination）, FE（Final Examination Examination）and IR（Interim Review Review）

IR conducted at the end of M1, D1 and D2 (D1, D2, D3 in VMS)  

(1)Research progress

(2)Current number of credits earned

(3)Academic achievements in Sustainable Agriculture Education Program

QE conducted at the completion of Master’s program

(1)Results of Master's thesis assessment (or equivalent for VMS students)

(2)Current number of credits earned

e.g. Mandatory Subjects 2 credits+ Elective Subjects 2 credits

(3)Level of understanding of Sustainable Agriculture and PhD course planning (oral exam)

FE conducted in the final year

(1)Results of PhD dissertation defense examination

(2)Completion of required credits for a PhD 

(3)Report on internship or study abroad experience and business proposal based on degree thesis research results

9. Incentive Grant

Monthly stipend: 180,000 yen (Starting from October, 2024)

Duration（Maximum）:

6, 12 or 18 for the Master's program, 36 for the Doctoral program, and 42 for the Doctor of

Veterinary Medicine

As a result of IR,QE, this stipend may be reduced or cancelled.

If you are selected as a JSPS Research Fellow, or another grant scholar, this grant will be cancelled.

10. Related Organization, Faculty Members

・Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies

・Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute、institute for quantitative biosciences

・National Agriculture and Food Research Organization、Forest Research and Management Organization、Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences 、Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency、National Institute for Environmental Studies、RIKEN、Japanese Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology、National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

Dean （Professor） NAKASHIMA Yasuhiro

Deputy dean（Professor）HAGA Takeshi

Deputy dean（Professor）TOUHARA Kazushige

Agricultural and Environmental Biology（Professor）AOKI Naohiro

Applied Biological Chemistry（Professor）SUZUKI Michio

Biotechnology（Professor）NISHIYAMA Makoto

Forest Science（Professor）ITO Akihiko

Aquatic Bioscience（Professor）OKADA Shigeru

Agricultural and Resource Economics（Professor）ANDO Mitsuyoshi
Biological and Environmental Engineering（Professor）HOSOI Fumiki

Biomaterial Sciences（Professor）YOKOYAMA Tomoya

Global Agricultural Sciences（Professor）MATSUMOTO Yasunobu

Ecosystem Studies（Professor）YASUDA Nina

Animal Resource Sciences（Professor）TANAKA Satoshi

Veterinary Medical Sciences（Professor）KANAI Yoshiakira

Frontier Sciences（Professor）NAGATA Shinji

Interdisciplinary Information Studies（Professor）KOSHIZUKA Noboru

11.Contact Information

Academic Affairs Division, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences

Tel. 03-5841-5003

Email  noutakuetsu.a@gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp