Graduate Student Testimonials

Taking my First Step Forward as a Data Scientist

Graduate School of Business and Commerce, Major in Commerce, 2nd Year Master’s Program (As of 2016)
Keita Shinmei

I am majoring in econometrics under the guidance of Professor Kazushige Shimpo. The development of ICT has resulted in an increase in knowledge-intensive businesses. We now live in a society where more advanced and specialized knowledge and technology are required. Low birth rate and longevity will become more serious issues in the future, and we are on the verge of seeing the dawn of time when our retirement age will be higher and the elderly must also work. Some people feel that it is risky to spend two years on your Master’s Program in your 20s when you are at your most energetic, but I have taken into account the aforementioned reality and have decided that arming myself with the level of specialization required in Graduate School will be mandatory in the future. This is why I have decided to pursue higher education.
I am currently writing my Master’s Thesis and doing an analysis of income poverty in developing nations. Through this study, I have not only been able to arm myself with the ability to think from the point of view of an economist, but have also developed a solid grounding in statistics and data science through having to analyze a considerable amount of data.
I have also been participating in a Double Degree Program called “Science for the Development of a Super Mature Society” since I was matriculated. This program is part of the “Keio Program for Leading Graduate Schools*.” When I complete my studies here, there will be an option to acquire a Master’s Degree in the Graduate School of Medicine. I would like to broaden my specialty and at the same time deepen my knowledge in the relevant disciplines. After graduation, I would like to use the skills I have learned in terms of analytical thinking to the best of my abilities, to make inroads as a researcher or a data scientist.

* The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) selected Science for Development of Super Mature Society as our leading program.  It was one of the Programs for Leading Graduate Schools (All-Round) in 2011.

Reference:  http://plgs.keio.ac.jp/program/?lang=en

In Pursuit of the Academic Mind

Graduate School of Business and Commerce, Major in Commerce, 2nd Year Doctorate Program (As of 2016)
Ryosuke Takeuchi

The Professors are wonderful. When we have discussions, they treat us as an equal, and they give us guidance with passion! My peers in graduate school are immersed in research and brimming with the will to improve. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to fully pursue the inquiries I’ve set out to pursue. It is my 4th year now since I have been matriculated into the Graduate School of Business and Commerce, and I wish to share my straightforward feelings about how happy I am to be here in this very ideal environment.
 To be perfectly honest with you, I had some concerns about going to graduate school. The majority of my friends started working after graduating from university and the road I chose was the one less travelled by, and this kind of decision always comes with higher risks. In the end, I decided that it would be a real pity and taking an even higher risk, if I gave-up my passion for research, which was nurtured through my activities in seminars during my undergraduate studies, just because I was being different from everyone else. This was the decisive factor in pursuing higher education.
 If by chance, you come across a study or discover a research method that you are passionate about, you shouldn’t be swayed by what other people are doing. You should listen to the voice of scholarly curiosity inside you, and maybe you should listen to what that voice tells you to do. The Graduate School of Business and Commerce is a place that can possibly fulfil all your scholarly desires.

Experience the difference being successful Taxman by studying at Keio

Graduate School of Business and Commerce, World Bank Scholarship Program, Major in Commerce, 2nd Year Master’s Program (As of 2016)
Tashi Wangchuk

The 21st century, where most of the developing countries are struggling with variety of issues like slow growth, high debt and financial crises impact from developed neighboring country, the importance are emerging for the developing countries to equip with necessary tools to brawl back such issues which can be possible only through nurturing the tax officials with the relevant education. It is also widely known that there is no limit in learning and developing oneself towards contribution to the nation for making what ones are. If one is helping the country towards achieving the self sufficiency goal by means of working as a Taxman in one’s own country, I would not hesitate to articulate that, such persons should experienced the difference of studying M.A. in Taxation Policy and Management at Keio University under Joint Japan World Bang Graduate Scholarship Program.  I am pretty much sure that the module offered at Keio will definitely going to make difference in the taxation policy of the developing countries in future to improve the tax reforms and to tackle the future taxation issues. Firstly, the Keio University being one of the oldest and reputed Universities in Japan as well as in the global context, it offers varieties of classes related to the taxation policies, public finance and economic policies. Of which the in-depth class on taxation policies tremendously enlightens the students on the boarder global taxation perspectives through presentations, seminars and discussion with the highly intellect professors and the class mates besides having well equipped modern learning facilities at Keio. During the course of study, the students are mandatory to read numbers of past research papers on the taxation policy of the both developed and developing countries which further strengthens with the knowledge of various tax issues and the related measures which would be obliging after going back to one’s own country.
 Secondly, the practicum at the National Tax Agency further broadens the knowledge on Japanese taxation systems and the international taxation issues especially transfer pricing and the tax treaty negotiation. Japan, at times had both brightness and gloomy period in terms of economic growth and was supported by the numbers of economic and taxation reforms, so the participants gets the opportunity to gain knowledge about the different taxation policies adopted currently and during those periods. Further the thesis which needs to be submitted for fulfillment of the Graduate course at the end of second year of course work will be the outcome, where the students have to state or identify the current taxation issues/problems faced in home country and hunt for the ideal taxation solution based on the findings and analysis which would ultimately help the home country in the taxation development. Last but not the least; the scholar will get the opportunity to know more about the Japan’s unique culture and the upright mental development which is one of the unique that Japan has.

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