Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology

Address

〒904-0411
沖縄県国頭郡恩納村
恩納7542

Head Office Location

Japan 

Main Business

Research Institution 

President/CEO

Dr. Sydney Brenner 

Established

2005 

Number of Employees

101 - 500 

URL

http://www.oist.jp/ 

The project to establish the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology was first announced in June 2001 by the Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs and the Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy. The Japanese Cabinet Office promotes the project with the following three objectives:

Firstly, to establish in Japan a leading center for research and education that will address new challenges in science and technology. Having achieved economic development through technological innovation, Japan is keen to make significant contributions to the advancement of science and technology. Today, many emerging fields of science and technology require multidisciplinary research. The Institute will focus on integrative approaches to high level research and education.

Secondly, to provide a successful model of a research university for Japanese academia. Existing universities with rigid departmental structures face difficulties in developing new systems to accommodate integrative research and education. An additional challenge is to establish a fully internationalized environment. Aside from the Institute holding lectures in English, the Institute will encourage the use of English as the working language of the graduate university. It is hoped that the infusion of differing cultural mindsets will develop a creative atmosphere that nurtures an original and questing spirit.

Thirdly, to stimulate the economic transformation of Okinawa. As Okinawa moves beyond the 30th anniversary of Reversion to Japan (2002), the need to develop a self-sustaining, private-sector-driven economy is clear. As an integral step in this process, the Institute aims jump start the development of an industrial and technological cluster.

Okinawa’s beautiful natural surroundings and geographical proximity to several East-Asian metropolis provide an ideal setting for a world-class university.