National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies

[EduCativ]

Located in the heart of Tokyo's fascinating city, The National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) is an international premier policy school to contribute to the betterment of democratic governance around the world. We excel at providing interdisciplinary education for future leaders in the public sector and research contemporary policy issues to generate innovative solutions.
Founded in 1997 as a stand-alone graduate institute, GRIPS comprises world-class academics and distinguished practitioners with expertise in public sector policy formulation and management. Around 20% of the faculty and 70% of students are recruited from outside Japan. Our vibrant, diverse student body consists of almost 400 members hailing from 63 countries and regions – all with the ambition to advance good governance across the globe or contribute to policy-related research.
We aim to contribute to the development and advancement of democratic governance both in Japan and abroad through research and education in governmental policy and policy reform. Since its inception as the Graduate School of Policy Science at Saitama University in 1977, GRIPS has conducted policy research relevant to Japan's current affairs and the world and provided graduate education in advanced policy studies designed primarily for mid-career administrative and government officials from Japan and overseas.
We offer a diverse array of Masters and Doctoral Programs. Students cultivate the ability to analyze issues, suggest solutions, develop interdisciplinary knowledge and skills that span related fields, and gain practical expertise. In addition to our degree programs, we also offer executive-level short term training programs across a wide range of themes.
Since our inception, our achievements in promoting good governance are considerable and far-reaching. Today, our impressive Alumni network of over 4,000 strong is actively shaping policy in more than 100 countries worldwide.
GRIPS endeavors to produce young policy-makers who can tackle problems faced by countries, cities, international organizations, companies, and civic society at large. To that end, graduate education at GRIPS focuses on the fundamentals of policy research and practical problem-solving. Students benefit from high-quality instruction in economics, political science, public administration, international relations, engineering, and other subjects and the examination of selected case studies reflecting the experiences of Japan and other Asian countries in the course of modernization and rapid economic growth. In addition to high-quality graduate education, we offer training programs that meet various stakeholders' needs, including the government agencies of a wide array of countries. We also accept funded research that draws on our faculty's expertise.
With more than 60% of our students from overseas, we are one of the most international universities in Japan. Credit for many of our programs can be obtained in English. In this environment, international students have the opportunity to engage in a friendly competition among themselves and with the people who will lead Japan in the future. In contrast, Japanese students have the chance to create bonds with those who will go on to be future leaders in their home countries around the globe.
GRIPS is centrally located in Tokyo and has extensive access to the Japanese government and its agencies and other significant stakeholders. This proximity allows our students to experience the core of Japanese policymaking as they perform their research. The world in the 21st century faces many urgent issues in such areas as economic development, security, the environment, overpopulation, inequality, and technological progress.

View full university