武蔵野大学グローバルビジョン

Musashino University’s Global Vision

Musashino University has developed since its establishment as Musashino Women’s Academy in 1924 and is now approaching the milestone of its 100th anniversary. The university has maintained its founding educational philosophy of character development based on Buddhist principles, established by Dr. Junjiro Takakusu. Entering the 21st century, under the brand statement ‘Creating Peace and Happiness for the World’ and through pioneering educational reforms such as making SDGs mandatory subjects, we have made remarkable progress in both education and research. To contribute to the creation and formation of a well-being society, we established the world's first ‘Faculty of Well-being’ in April 2024. This move will further enhance and actualize research and education aligned with our goal of ‘Creating Peace and Happiness for the World.’
However, looking at the current state of the world, we face various challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, and pandemics, as well as issues caused by human beings, including conflicts, inequalities, and poverty. In such circumstances, how should we truly shape global happiness? Musashino University is facing these difficult issues head-on and, marking our 100th anniversary, we hereby present our ‘Global Vision.’ We aim to tackle global challenges, create new academic methodologies, and foster human resources through overseas programs aligned with each department’s expertise. By demonstrating our spirit of becoming a comprehensive university, we courageously address the noble goal of ‘Creating Peace and Happiness for the World’ based on Buddhist principles.
The term University, derived from the Latin universitas, originally means ‘toward one direction,’ which evolved to mean “integration” and “universe,” and eventually came to signify a comprehensive university. It is also the source of the concept of universality. Therefore, an organization calling itself a “university” is destined to aim for a comprehensive and universal perspective on the myriad phenomena of the world and the universe. In line with this, Musashino University must also strive to explore global wisdom from a comprehensive and panoramic viewpoint, boldly seek connections with the world, expand, and take on challenges. This is consistent with the Buddhist concept of engi, which means that all things are interconnected and support each other. Given the founding and brand statement of Musashino University, exploring a global and universal perspective is our solemn mission.
Under this fundamental philosophy, as Musashino University marks its 100th anniversary, we will build on our internationalization efforts to date to further develop globalization in both education and research in new ways.

Global Education

While we have focused on internationalization through our study abroad programs, we will further promote early overseas experiences, expand second language classes, require credits from English-taught courses, promote study tours and training abroad, and enhance study abroad programs at overseas universities. Additionally, we will establish an internationalization system for specialized education within departments. Graduates with a deep understanding of SDGs and an international perspective will be fostered on an ongoing basis. In doing so, we will proactively apply our “Kyo-gaku Spiral” concept, emphasizing student-centered education.

Globalization of Research

In research, we will continue to promote faculty participation in international conferences and overseas research, strengthen collaboration and partnerships with overseas universities, and invite international conferences to Musashino University. We will also promote the global dissemination of faculty research results through online platforms. Our Global Vision emphasizes that internationalization should not be narrowly interpreted as Anglicization. While the usage of English is a vital part of internationalization, we will also emphasize an understanding of the diversity of world cultures and focus on major languages other than English, such as Chinese and Spanish, facilitating collaboration in a comprehensive manner with research institutions outside the English-speaking world. Additionally, we will consciously disseminate our research achievements in Buddhist studies globally, including in Japanese.

Creating A New Educational Market and Values

As a first step, based on our substantial track record in international exchange, we will focus on sending Musashino University faculty and students to collaborate with research institutions in Asian countries that share Buddhist principles. Conversely, we will also commit to accepting researchers and students from Asian countries at Musashino University on a larger scale, implementing a bidirectional approach with a strong sense of mission. Through local educational and research activities and the establishment of En-Verse campuses, we will actualize bidirectional practices.

Nothing begins without taking action. The noble pursuit of ‘Creating Peace and Happiness for the World’ must start with our passionate, empathetic, and compassionate activities. Reflecting the Buddhist spirit of ‘happiness for all living beings,’ we declare our commitment to nurturing capable individuals who learn about true diversity through internationalization and contribute to society and humanity, ultimately ensuring “freedom from greed, anger, and ignorance.”

To conclude, we would like to draw on the legacy of our founder Dr. Junjiro Takakusu who studied at universities in Europe, including the University of Oxford. After returning to Japan, he devoted himself to academic exchanges with countries such as the UK, France, Germany, India, China, and the United States (Hawaii). Musashino University, reflecting on the spirit of its founder, will promote globalization and realize the philosophy of ‘Creating Peace and Happiness for the World.’ As a steadfast and earnest institution, we are committed to advancing humanity and realizing happiness for all living beings.

武藏野大学全球愿景

武藏野大学是以1924年建校的武藏野女子学院为基础，不断发展的高等教育机构，今年将迎来建校100周年华诞。自建校以来，本校秉承创始人高楠顺次郎博士开创的以佛教精神为根基的人格培养教育理念，在21世纪的今天，我们奠定了“创造幸福 感动世界”这一品牌宣言，并制定了具备先进理念的教育课程体系，将联合国可持续发展目标(SDGs)作为全校所有院系的必修课程，从而在教育和研究两方面取得显著的发展。为了创造和建设幸福安康的社会，2024年4月，我校开设了世界上第一所“幸福共生学院”，并且为了响应这一创举，我们也在全校范围内积极充实、落实与“创造幸福 感动世界”直接相关的研究和教育活动。
然而，纵观世界现状，我们正为各种各样的难题所困，如气候变化异常，自然灾害频发，世界范围内的传染病流行，人类自己造成的战争、不平等、贫困等。面对这样的局面，我们应该如何真正地构建世界的幸福呢？
武藏野大学将直面这些棘手的难题，为了实现无国界的幸福，以建校100华诞为契机，在此重新表述“全球愿景”。我们将根据各学科的专业领域，开设相关的国际课程，重点培养能够解决全球性课题，开创全新学术方法的人材，展现不断向综合性大学迈进的气概，并本着佛教精神，以坚定的的勇气向着“创造幸福 感动世界”这一崇高的目标阔步前进。
据考，所谓“University”源于拉丁语“universitas”，其本意为共同奔向同一目标，后演变为“统一”或者“宇宙”之意，同时也有“综合性大学”的意思。当然，这个词也是“普遍性”概念的词源。由此可见，能够称为“University”的组织，要寻求以一种综合的、普遍的视角来看待这个世界、宇宙万物，这是大学这个组织的根本使命。
因此，武藏野大学也必须具备一种气概，去探寻能够融合全世界智慧的综合视角，大胆寻求、扩展和挑战与世界的联系。此观念与佛教的“缘起”思想本质相通。世界万物相通相连，相互扶持，相互依存。鉴于武藏野大学的历史和品牌宣言，探究统览世界和宇宙的全球化和普遍性的视野是我校肩负的神圣使命。
在这个基本理念的引导下，即将迎来建校100周年华诞的武藏野大学，将继承以往的国际交流成果，在教育和研究两方面，以全新的形式继续开展国际化和全球化交流。

1. 教育的全球化

以往，我们主要以留学制度来践行国际化，今后，在教育方面，我们将让更多学生尽早参加海外学习，扩充第二外语的课程，将英语授课的课程纳入学分必修课，并推进学生们赴海外修学旅行和培训，加强赴海外大学的留学制度，特别是加强构建各院系专业教育领域内的国际化架构。在深化对于联合国可持续发展目标(SDGs)的理解基础上，不断培养出更多具备国际视野的毕业生。在此过程中，大力推进“向学循环(The Enhanced Learning Cycle)”，即以学习者为本的教育原则。

2. 科研的全球化

在科研方面，首先积极推动以往的国际交流活动，具体内容为推进教师们参加国际学术会议和海外研究，与国外的大学密切合作，积极组织国际会议等，同时倡导教师们使用互联网，面向全世界公开自己的研究成果。本校在实现全球愿景中特别注意的是，国际化并不等同于全面使用英语这一狭隘的观点。当然，纵观世界现状，开展国际化不可避免地使用英语，在这方面，我们将全力倡导并推动。同时，为了理解多元化世界的文化，我们也将着力发展汉语和西班牙语等英语以外的主要语言的教学和研究，积极促进同英语国家以外的研究机构进行合作。另外，我们也会积极地促进对外发布本校的佛教研究成果，向世界展示以日语进行研究取得的成果。

3. 开辟新的教育市场并开创新的价值

为了开辟新的教育市场，首先，本校将在继承以往丰厚的国际交流成果的基础之上，关注同样崇尚佛教精神的亚洲各国，积极并有计划地派遣我校的师生前往各地，与当地的研究机构展开合作。同时，我们也将更多地接受亚洲各国的学者和学生前来我校，我们将秉承坚强的意志和使命感双向推进此项计划。为此，我校开设了元宇宙校园，具体实施双向合作研究和教育实践。
要想改变，先从行动开始。为了“创造幸福 感动世界”这一远大的目标，首先我们必须倾注所有的热情、同理心以及慈悲心来付诸行动。我们郑重宣布：将在全校范围内，坚持“愿一切生灵平安幸福”这一佛教精神，通过国际化进程体会真正的多元化，培养具备“无贪、无嗔、无痴”的有为之才，进而为人类社会的发展做出贡献。

结语

武藏野大学的创始人高楠顺次郎博士曾经在英国牛津大学等欧洲各国的大学留学，归国后也致力于同英国、法国、德国、印度、中国以及美国(夏威夷)等进行学术交流。武藏野大学在新时代重温并秉承创始人的精神，致力于推动全球化进程，积极践行“创造幸福 感动世界”这一品牌理念，作为踏实、诚信的综合性大学，为人类发展，进而为实现“一切生灵”的幸福做出贡献。