The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) is an interdisciplinary graduate school offering a 5-year PhD program in Science.

OIST was founded by the Japanese government to contribute to science and technology worldwide, attract leading researchers from Japan and abroad to conduct high-quality research, advance the development of a world-class research hub, and nucleate a knowledge cluster that will catalyze technology transfer and industrial innovation in Okinawa.

Unique in Japan

Over half of the faculty and students are recruited from outside Japan, and education and research are conducted entirely in English.

There are no departments, and courses are not restricted to a single discipline. Even the architecture and campus organization reinforce this emphasis on interdisciplinary research by populating each lab building with a variety of different specialties and facilities.

Each faculty member, including assistant and associate professors, lead independent research units and are responsible for their own research agenda.

With independent governance from the Private Schools Act and public funding under the sponsorship of the Cabinet Office, OIST is run as a private university under the stewardship of the Board of Governors, the membership of which includes Nobel Laureates and global leaders in science, business, and education. The Board of Counselors also provides university leadership with an additional range of international and domestic perspectives.

Guiding Principles

Globally Recognized: We want to be globally recognized for world-leading cross-disciplinary research that benefits humanity.

Destination of Choice: We want to be the destination of choice to work, learn and collaborate, linking science to education leading to innovation and entrepreneurship, supported by an efficient administration.

Partner of Choice: We want to be the partner of choice for innovation and a catalyst in Okinawa, promoting economic growth and sustainable benefits, addressing problems important to Japanese and global society.

Vision, Values, and Mission

 Our Vision: The advancement of knowledge for the benefit of humanity

Our Values: We abide by a core set of values that underpin everything that we do: Excellence, Respectfulness, Responsibility, Transparency, Sustainability, Diversity, Courage and Freedom.

Our Mission: We are a pioneering graduate university. We conduct research that bridges disciplines to explore new frontiers of scientific knowledge. We educate a new generation of scientific leaders. We are a catalyst for an innovation hub in Okinawa.

For more information about OIST ideals and guiding principles, please see the Strategic Plan. https://www.oist.jp/strategic-plan

OIST Facts and Figures: https://www.oist.jp/facts-figures