Ahead of the times, we promote learning that combines data science and humanities and sciences.Creating "Comprehensive Knowledge" as a Source of Innovation

What is the study of the Faculty of Culture and Information Studies that leads the "human age"?

　Since its establishment in 2005, Doshisha University's Faculty of Culture and Information Science has been promoting learning that fuses humanities and sciences to study culture using data science.We asked Professor Atsushi Shimojima, Dean of the Faculty, and Professor Hisahiro Yado, who has designed the data science education of the Faculty, about why this is the culture of today.

　“This is because we are now in the age of humans.In the future, when technology and information technology are advancing at a high level, we need to understand what people really want and what makes them happy. Building is important.

　And in order to understand the essence of human beings, I believe that it is essential to study human wisdom (= culture) that continues from ancient times to the present and the future.This is the reason why our school focused on 'culture' as a target for data science," says Professor Shimojima.

　In the first place, data science is an academic discipline that utilizes knowledge such as statistics and informatics to derive new value from data.The Faculty develops human resources who can accurately grasp the issues and lead them to comprehensive problem-solving by linking extremely diverse "cultures" such as subcultures, history, fashion, media, cognition, psychology, education, and language. It is said that it will continue.

　"As an example, let's look at the culture around us. 'Today, I spent hours talking with my friends on SNS.' This kind of 'SNS culture' is commonplace in Japan. Is it really what we seek and feel happy?

　In the first place, why did SNS culture spread and what kind of culture did it exterminate?And what kind of rival culture is there today?Collect these materials (data), place them on the research cutting board, and cook (analyze) them using a knife (method) called data science.For example, in this way, our students analyze various cultures of interest, and in the process, learn how to practice data science.

　In this way, after understanding the essence of human beings, human resources who can utilize information technology and various knowledge in society will be developed, and we will play a central role in building the coming 'human age'."