School of International Corporate Strategy, Hitotsubashi University

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Overview

MISSION: why we do what we do Embracing complexity and achieving the “Best of Two Worlds” – by acting as a bridge linking Japan to Asia and the globe, and as an international center of excellence for the creation, management and dissemination of knowledge. VISION: what we strive to be To be one of the world’s prominent business schools, developing global-minded leaders who are expert on Japan, connected to Asia, and capable of making a significant and positive impact. CORE VALUES AND PRINCIPLES: the ideals we strive to uphold EXCELLENCE We aspire to greatness in the classroom, in research, in institutional development, and in all we do. INTEGRITY We believe that living according to a moral code builds respect and trust. IMAGINATION We are not confined in a box, but instead use our imagination to develop innovative ideas and novel ways of solving problems. INCLUSIVENESS We are embracing of all people, always thinking inclusion rather than exclusion. INITIATIVE We look to serve by identifying and addressing existing needs, and anticipating emerging needs.

The School of International Corporate Strategy (ICS) was established in 2000 as Japan’s first global, all-English MBA program. Hitotsubashi University, itself, started out in 1875 as an institute for business training, tasked with producing “modern” businessmen. ICS shares with Hitotsubashi University a staunch commitment to excellence in business education and academic research, and, like its parent school, demonstrates a strong pioneering spirit. ICS quickly established its unique positioning in Japan with the launch of English-only MBA and DBA programs, which are supported by a depth of research, a strong network with business leaders and innovators, and an international faculty and student body. Today, through its very own Signature Courses, ICS teaches at the frontier of business education. The small size of the entering class (student-faculty ratio of 5:1) gives students the opportunity to work closely with each other and also their professors. All students belong to small, group seminars - called “zemi” in Japanese - led by faculty members. These peer groups cultivate strong supportive relationships, between students, students and faculty, and even between seminar alumni, both inside and outside the classroom, resulting in life-long relationships: This is the ICS Experience. We design our program as a “leadership development journey.” Students will: (1) discover their own leadership philosophy and an authentic leadership style; (2) understand diverse perspectives; and (3) embrace the complexities of reality, taking a large step toward becoming a wise leader, one that can lead others in this unpredictable, complex world, for the betterment of society.

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