Introducing the Graduate School of Public Policy (HOPS)

Decision making process occurs at various levels, including the national, regional and local levels. In the midst of the trend of decentralization, civil servants of local governments are met with challenges that require immediate policy proposal at the local level. Moreover, in the age of globalization and pluralization, there is an increase in the need for private companies and non-profit organizations to also commit to policy making. The leadership of executive and administrative officers at the national level still remain important, but there is a high demand for experts with innovative ideas and sufficient knowledge to create various partnership to tackle the challenges ahead. The Graduate School of Public Policy is a professional graduate school that aims to foster and train versatile and talented individuals that will meet the challenges we face today.

Four Pillars of HOPS

1. Integration of Arts and Sciences

One of the characteristics of HOPS is the philosophy of the integration of arts and sciences. At HOPS, students are taught to take an interdisciplinary and holistic approach to real life challenges.

2. Putting Theory into Practice

With one of the most prominent faculty in Japan, including practitioners from various ministries of the central government, we aim to foster talented professionals that can put theory into practice.

3. Global + Local = ‘Glocal’ Perspective

Glocalization indicates the growing importance of global levels that is occurring together with the increasing salience of local levels. The local is fundamentally shaped by the global such is the case of food safety, environmental issues and energy. HOPS aims to foster professionals that will incorporate the glocal perspective in policy making.

4. Forefront of Public Policy in Hokkaido

The autonomy of the local municipalities cannot be realized without innovative methods to vitalize that region. With the rapid aging society and depopulation occurring in many local municipalities in Hokkaido as well as other regions in Japan, it is essential to establish ways to create new jobs and industries for the sustainability of the region. HOPS aims to address various challenges of the local municipalities for the sustainable development of not only Hokkaido but regions that face similar challenges.