The 21st Century COE (“Center Of Excellence”) Program, launched by
the Ministry of Education, Sports, Culture, Science and Technology in 2002,
grants subsidies to distinguished universities in our country for the
establishment of a center of research and education in various fields with the
highest academic standards in the world. It aims at raising the level of
research in our country’s universities and fostering creative academic minds,
expected to become leaders of the world. Tokyo University of Foreign
Studies (TUFS) submitted applications for research projects in two of the
selected programs—the Humanities and Interdisciplinary/Compound/New
Sphere fields. We have obtained wonderful results; both projects were
selected. We are extremely pleased and encouraged by this high evaluation
of the unique research projects and educational potential of our Graduate
School of Area and Culture Studies.