Functional Control Systems

Japan in the 20th century placed an emphasis on efficiency and convenience, and strived towards manufacturing things, seeking to increase profitability. As a result, this approach put Japan in a situation where it faced contradictions such as the destruction of environment. Currently, Japan possesses technologies, which lead the world in such fields as automobiles, robotics, electronics and telecommunications, whilst resolving such contradictions. These technologies are becoming increasingly more complex. In order to contribute to the world as a leader of science and technology in the global society going forward, Japan will be required to exercise high-level design capabilities and technology management skills, which will enable Japan to grasp the overall picture of increasingly complex technologies and promote harmony within the overall system, in addition to the ability to deeply analyze and comprehend objects.
For example, at the nuclear accident, which occurred immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake, the importance of systemized technology regarding the use of technology in a society including its implementation and operation was reaffirmed. This suggests that it is time for us to reconsider practical education. At the same time, this also means that nurturing researchers and engineers who will acquire the global values and capabilities required to work internationally.

Based on such a background, the Functional Control Systems Course aims to provide education and to conduct research to nurture outstanding researchers and engineers who have global values and the ability to fully grasp the truth of science and make use of it in practical education. This course consists of a number of different education and research fields, such as communication function control, functional device control, system control, and biosystems and biomolecule control, and operates interdisciplinary education and research. Taking this approach ensures that the course is not specialized in education and research being exclusively relevant to the areas of its academic staff's expertise. The course also aims to nurture researchers and engineers with basic skills for technology management and proficiency in English for engineers as well as shared values and ethics, while the course as a whole is aware of the relevance based on the diversity in the course and actively promotes collaboration with each other.

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy will be conferred by fulfilling the following criteria.

Standard period of completing the Doctor's Program is set to be three years. However, in the case where the candidates' research achievement is exceptionally good, they will be allowed to complete the program on condition that they have been registered with the program for over one year.

Candidates will complete the program by completing at least one subject from within the area of advanced subjects, receiving guidance in a special study, publishing academic papers and presenting a paper at an academic conference, and passing the assessment of a doctoral thesis, and they will then be conferred the degree. However, candidates who work as well as study may be exempt from taking the advanced subjects upon their main supervisor's approval.

Candidates will be allowed to register themselves beyond the standard period of completion in cases of temporary absence from the university, returning to the university, dropping out, and re-admission. This will increase the possibility of their conferment.

Degree Assessment Criteria

1. Degree Assessment Criteria for Candidates in the Doctor's Program
   1. Registered period
      Candidates must have been registered with the Doctor's Program at this Graduate School and have received prescribed research guidance. However, for the candidates whose research achievement is exceptionally good, the period registered with the program can be reduced to just over one year.
   2. Research Achievement
      1. In principle, Candidates must have submitted and published two articles as the first author in academic journals involving an assessment by the Academic Society Home Village during the period in which they are registered with the program. However, one of these two journal articles can be replaced with two proceedings (as a first author) for an international conference involving an assessment.
      2. Candidates whose article has been accepted by an academic journal to be published or at an international conference to be presented must attach documents to prove these acceptances.
2. Degree Assessment Criteria for the Candidate of Doctoral Degree by Thesis Only
   1. Candidates must have more than five years of research and development experience following their graduation from university, and must have submitted and published at least five articles as the first author in academic journals involving an assessment by the Academic Society Home Village. However, when those who left the university upon completion of the program period applies for the conferment of the doctoral degree without re-entering the program, the assessment criteria for candidates in the Doctor's Program will be applied to assess their research achievement only if the assessment is completed within two years following the date, which they left the university.
   2. Candidates whose article has been accepted by an academic journal to be published must attach documents to prove the acceptance.

The Functional Control Systems Course aims to nurture researchers and professionals with advanced expertise who have excellent research promotion and research and development skills with rich creativity in the fields of communication function control, functional device control, system control, and life function control, and who can solve various global problems for the realization of a sustainable society in cooperation with researchers and engineers around the world. The purpose is to train researchers and highly-skilled professionals who have a high degree of specialization that can solve various problems in the world for the realization of a sustainable society.
The curriculum is organized based on the following policies so that students can develop their expertise from a comprehensive perspective in both software and hardware.

• In order to develop the advanced knowledge and experimental skills necessary to write a doctoral dissertation in the field of functional control systems, "specialized subjects" are arranged.
• In the "Research Guidance" of the Functional Control Systems field, under the research guidance of a faculty advisor, students will develop researchers and engineers who can play an active role in global society through the formulation of a research plan, research on research-related papers, discussions with the faculty advisor, presentations at domestic and international conferences, and publication of academic papers.
• In order to develop future autonomous researchers and educators, "Pre-FD subjects" are arranged.
• In addition, we encourage students to take the "Technology Management Sub-Major Program" as a part of the common subjects in the Master's Course in order to develop human resources with sigma-type integrated capabilities that combine multifaceted engineering capabilities, technology management capabilities, and metanational capabilities.

In recent years, the globalization of science and technology has been progressing, and it is extremely important to aim for sustainable development not only in Japan but also in the world from a global perspective. For this purpose, it is necessary to train researchers and engineers who can acquire global values and play an active role internationally.The Department of Functional Control Systems aims to promote university research in the fields of communication function control, functional device control, system control, and life function control engineering, and to foster researchers who can solve global problems for the realization of a sustainable society in collaboration with researchers and engineers from around the world. This program aims to nurture researchers and highly specialized professionals with a broad international perspective and the ability to think flexibly. Therefore, we seek the following applicants.

1. Those who strongly desire to study and research in this department and wish to achieve personal growth and self-realization in this department.
2. Those who have completed a master's course or are active in the front line of society and have advanced research promotion ability related to functional control systems.
3. Those who can creatively explore new fields related to functional control systems.
4. Those who have communication skills including foreign languages, presentation skills, and management skills.