Sōka University Explained

Soka University
Native Name:創価大学
Image Upright:1.5
Motto:Discover Your Potential
Established:1971
Type:Private
President:Masashi Suzuki
Students:7,230 (1 May 2021)
Country:Japan
Campus:Suburban
Colors: Blue White
Mascot:Roaring Lion
Address:1-236 Tangi-cho, Hachiōji-shi, Tokyo 192-8577, Japan

, abbreviated typically as or, is a Soka Gakkai-affiliated private university in Hachiōji, Tokyo, Japan. In 2014, the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) designated Soka University as one of the 20 universities in Japan that "are leading the globalization of Japanese society".[1]

History

Soka University opened on April 2, 1971, with its graduate school opening in April 1975.[2] Since the school's founding, more than 50,000 students have graduated from Soka University.[3]

Soka University of America is a related school founded in 2001, located in Aliso Viejo, California, which offers both graduate and undergraduate degrees.[4]

Educational philosophy

Soka University's educational philosophy was established by Tsunesaburō Makiguchi, the first president of the Soka Gakkai (then called the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai, or Value-creating Education Society), who had worked as the principal of an elementary school in Japan. Makiguchi published the book "The System of Value-Creating Pedagogy" based on his belief that the purpose of education is the students' happiness, and emphasized humanistic education. This educational philosophy was shared by his successor, Jōsei Toda, who had served as a primary school teacher. Toda's successor, Daisaku Ikeda, describes his goal as carrying out the dreams of Makiguchi and Toda.[5]

"Soka" is a Japanese term meaning "value creation". In 1971, when Daisaku Ikeda founded Soka University, the school established the following founding principles:

Since 2010, the university has also adopted the official motto .

Organization

Faculties

[6]

Graduate schools

Honors Program

Research institutes

Honorary doctorates

As of 2015, Soka University had awarded 365 honorary doctorates and honorary professorships, primarily to international figures in academia and culture.[7] In April 1993, Mikhail Gorbachev traveled to Tokyo together with his wife Raisa to receive an honorary doctorate from Soka University in recognition of his efforts for world peace. A cherry tree was planted at the university in their honor during their visit.[8] Rosa Parks visited Soka University in 1994 to deliver a lecture, and was bestowed an honorary doctorate at that time for her contributions to civil rights.[9] [10] When Nelson Mandela visited Soka University in 1995, he was awarded an honorary doctorate for his lifelong work to promote human rights.[11] In 1996, the university awarded an honorary doctorate to Fidel Castro in recognition of his efforts to establish exemplary health care and education systems for his nation's people.[12] In 2008, an honorary doctorate was awarded to a professor at Moscow State University, Mihail Sokolov, a medical robotics scientist.

Soka Women's College

Soka Women's College
Native Name:創価女子短期大学
Established:1985
Type:Private women's junior college
City:Hachiōji, Tokyo
Country:Japan

Soka University shares its campus in Hachiōji, Tokyo, with, an affiliated private junior college that was founded on April 2, 1985.[13]

See also

External links

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: January 2024 . Top Global University Project .
  2. Web site: 大学の沿革 創価大学 Discover your potential 自分力の発見 . 2022-04-14 . www.soka.ac.jp . ja.
  3. http://www.soka.ac.jp/about/philosophy/history/ 大学の沿革 創価大学
  4. http://nccsdataweb.urban.org/PubApps/showVals.php?ft=bmf&ein=953909672 National Center for Charitable Statistics:
  5. Book: Ikeda, Daisaku . Soka Education: For the Happiness of the Individual . 2012-03-01 . Middleway Press . 978-1-938252-22-8 . en.
  6. Web site: Undergraduate Programs and Graduate Schools. Soka University.
  7. Web site: 名誉博士・名誉教授等の名誉学術称号. Sōka University. https://web.archive.org/web/20131211111614/http://www.soka.ac.jp/about/philosophy/founder/honor/#jp-/about/philosophy/founder/honor/. 2013-12-11. November 22, 2013.
  8. Web site: Gorbachev. 23 October 2015. Seikyo Shimbun . June 12, 2007.
  9. Web site: Rosa Parks Biography. 23 October 2015. Rosa Parks Foundation. January 22, 2005.
  10. Web site: Rosa Parks Speaks at Soka University. 23 October 2015. United States Library of Congress. March 16, 2000.
  11. Web site: Honorary degrees of Nelson Mandela. 23 October 2015. Nelson Mandela Institute. May 11, 1996.
  12. News: Carnet. 10 August 2014. Le Point. June 26, 1996.
  13. Book: 昭和61年度版「全国学校総覧」 . 56 . 1986 . 原書房.