Tokyo Tech has established the Center of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DS&AI) on December 1, 2022. The center will accelerate the expansion of to all students at Tokyo Tech, deepen collaboration with companies and other universities, and cultivate skilled professionals who are well versed in both data science and artificial intelligence.
In today’s digital information society, the roles of DS and AI are rapidly expanding. Both fields are increasingly fundamental in all areas of social life, industry, research and development, and other broad spheres. In response to the changing landscape, Tokyo Tech has been developing DS and AI training for graduate students since academic year 2019 with the aim of cultivating “co-creative experts” who have the ability to solve future problems using DS and AI, regardless of their field of specialization. This training is not limited to theoretical or academic approaches to DS and AI technologies. It also includes a variety of courses that incorporate the cultivation of social problem-solving skills into the program. Supporting this development is one of the largest corporate consortiums in Japan, which includes more than 35 companies.
Tokyo Tech’s specialized graduate-level courses are generally available in English, as is the case with DS and AI courses. Some DS and AI courses are also being provided at .
Since academic year 2020, Tokyo Tech has been developing its University-wide Education Program in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. Tokyo Tech is the only institution in Japan to offer a seamless DS and AI-focused program that runs from the first year of the bachelor’s degree program up through to the graduate level. This program has been certified as a literacy-level by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. While MDASH programs are certified based on two levels — literacy and advanced literacy — the Tokyo Tech program also includes a third expert level.
Snapshot from Fundamentals of data science course, a part of the University-wide Education Program in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
Outline of new Center of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
Name
Center of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DS&AI)
Main activities
- Implementation and expansion of DS and AI education across Tokyo Tech through the University-wide Education Program in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
- Fostering of participants’ abilities to solve social issues through collaboration with companies that fully utilize DS and AI technologies
- Large-scale development of co-creative experts through collaboration with other universities at home and abroad
Center director
Professor Yoshihiro Miyake
School of Computing
Comments from Director Miyake
Amidst its efforts to foster co-creative experts, Tokyo Tech became the first institution in Japan to make data science and artificial intelligence training available to all graduate-level students in academic year 2019. According to our definition, “co-creative experts” not only possess advanced expertise and techniques in DS and AI, but also are capable of creating innovations that transcend the boundaries of their fields of expertise, and of developing talent who will lead the future of the field. In other words, we aim to develop professionals who can (1) make full use of DS and AI, (2) boost interaction across disciplines with the help of DS and AI, and (3) teach DS and AI.
In order to develop top talent with these three abilities, the Center of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence will provide systematized education at the literacy, advanced literacy, and expert levels to all Tokyo Tech students in the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs. Future plans include a “co-creative expert development program” that makes the most of the characteristics of a comprehensive science and technology university, and can be expanded to other universities.
