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Founding Principles

RCAST set four mottos in the early days of the thinking about internationality or industry-academia cooperation. We still advocate our founding principles even as these words have become common, because the underlying basis of mottos and philosophy of research is the power to unlock our future.

About RCAST's Four Mottos (June 2004)

Interdisciplinary Approach

One of the unique features of RCAST's four mottos is to recruit its faculty members from a diverse range of academic disciplines into an organizational frame work for the advancement of science and technology. In the world's current age of specialization, research done in the effective isolation of the laboratory can not only have beneficial results, it can also lead to redundancies and inefficiencies in the way precious time and money are used, as well as unforeseen hazards with the potential for catastrophic consequences.

At RCAST, we firmly believe that by working together with scholars from other departments and other disciplines, our basic research can be exposed to profound insights that can provide not only an important word of caution, but also contribute to more effective investments of time and funding. Likewise, this interaction with experts from the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities can foster a more dynamic and stimulating academic environ-ment and open doors to new possibilities taht a lone researcher might not otherwise have the opportunity to consider.

Mobility

Our inherent obstacle to innovation in any organization-whether it be a company, government bureaucracy or educational institution - is the tendency toward apathy and inertia that arises from long years on the same job. In order to promote the constant flow of fresh new ideas and perspectives, RCAST encourages relatively short-tern participation by all members, who are recruited from outside institutions as well as from other departments within The University to Tokyo. Staff at RCAST are also circulated between the several chairs in AIS and CCR which are harmoniously operated with RCAST in one body.

Ensuring constant mobility at all levels of its organization, RCAST maintains a fixed ten-year term limit on all faculty members. Likewise, research subjects, and even the chairs themselves, are periodically reviewed by a panel of experts to reconfirm their relevance to RCAST and the world at large, and determine their continued feasibility.

For about 10 years since the inauguration of RCAST, departments were restructured about 10 chairs have already changed their titles, and the professors have been newly assigned in most of regular chairs at RCAST.

International Perspective

The third motto of RCAST's foundation is its inter-national perspective. In the broadest possible sense, RCAST's activities must serve the greater good of the global community, and the direct involvement of both specialists and sponsors from around the world is by far the most effective means of accomplishing this goal. Only through close cooperation with faculty and researchers representing the world's diverse academic fields, RCAST and by extension, Japan, can hope to play an active role in future scientific developments that offer the greatest benefit to humanity.

With the creation of its Endowed Chairs program, RCAST has pioneered a new funding channel for stimulating international and interdisciplinary diversity in both educaion and research. To date RCAST's Endowed Chairs program has attracted about 100 renowned researchers from around the world, and its worldwide network of alumni and academic affiliations continues to grow in prestige and influence. Of course, each laboratory in RCAST has also been establishing the academic cooperation with researchers and institutions around the world.

Openness

RCAST is eager to promote joint research projects and encourage exchange programs. As a result it has hosted guest professors representing a broad range of academic fields in order to encourage them to pursue their interests in an inspiring environment of academic cross-pollination that promotes greater involvement in all aspects of study and research. On the educational front RCAST created a unique graduate program in 1992 called AIS, which has opened doors to mid-career professionals employed at companies and institutes who would like to further their education with specialized research while continuing in the path of their careers. Besides offering qualified individuals a chance to pursue Ph. D-level course work and research time spent at RCAST often stimulates a resurgence in activity upon their return to the work place. CCR founded in 1996 is also expected to encourage the Openness and the International Perspective of RCAST.

Open house events, symposia and specialized seminars are regularly held, and are open to representatives of business and industry, government agencies and others in the academic world as well as to the general public.

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