May 16, 2011 - Mar 31, 2013
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The National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) and the Institute of Industrial Science (IIS), the University of Tokyo, have conducted joint research in order to publish the achievements by the Second Faculty of Engineering, the University of Tokyo, established as part of governmental policies during the war. This joint project aims to contribute to solving important policy issues, including urban disaster prevention, social infrastructure improvement and human resource development, through collaboration between expert scholars in policy studies and policy science at GRIPS and researchers in science and engineering at IIS. The following two issues will be addressed as themes of basic policy studies in conducting the joint project. 1. International cooperation in policy studies associated with urban disaster mitigation In the field of urban disaster mitigation, GRIPS conducts both education and research in the disaster management policy program, concerning disaster mitigation for earthquakes and tsunamis and flood disaster risk management. Meanwhile the International Center for Urban Safety Engineering (ICUS) of IIS promotes continuous international cooperation activities with various Asian countries, in three different categories concerning natural disaster mitigation, namely research, practical activities and human resource development. ICUS has overseas bases in Bangkok, Thailand and Dacca, Bangladesh, and also focuses on internal cooperation in terms of disaster mitigation studies. Furthermore, researchers at both institutions have jointly conducted a scientific research project with the theme of “Policy analysis regarding the crisis response and management system as a measure against accidents and for disaster mitigation management.” It is of great significance that these two institutions, both of which have a noteworthy stock of knowledge pertaining to disaster mitigation and the education of foreign students, and are highly advanced in terms of international cooperation activities, are jointly focusing on solving existing issues associated with the disaster prevention field in Asia. 2. Policy studies in social infrastructure improvement and human resource development The Advanced MobilityResearch Center of IIS provides education regarding “Next-generation urban transportation” and “Personal mobility.” Meanwhile, GRIPS offers the Development Policy Program, the Urban Policy Program and the Public Policy Program in the master’s and doctoral courses, covering a wide range of policy studies regarding various social infrastructure including public transit, transportation, electricity, gas, medical services, information, communication and education. How these kinds of social infrastructure will be maintained and upgraded in the future is one of the important policy issues facing Japan. While it is feared that Japan is falling behind other counties in terms of communication and IT policies, the development of human resources who have negotiation skills acceptable on a global stage is also one of the urgent policy tasks to be addressed as part of advanced education policies.