Dwango Co., Ltd. Public Relations Department
-Nippon Foundation Dwango Gakuen Preparatory Committee-Announcement of new online university “ZEN University” concept, faculty, curriculum, extracurricular programs, faculty members, etc.
Dwango Co., Ltd. (Chuo-ku, Tokyo, President: Tsuyoshi Natsuno) established the Nippon Foundation Dwango Gakuen Preparatory Committee in partnership with the Nippon Foundation to create a diversifying educational environment and education. In April 2025, we plan to open a new concept online university “ZEN University” (provisional name) (under construction) that responds to disparities. This time, we will release information about the university’s curriculum, extracurricular programs, prospective teachers, etc.
-Overview of ZEN University -Schedule as of June 6, 2023- –
[Image 1: https://prtimes.jp/i/96446/203/resize/d96446-203-1b0a62c9add6cd88381c-0.jpg&s3=96446-203-ea94ea109644885e83400e1caee0ed0f-234×59.jpg] (tentative name) (under construction)
University name: ZEN University (provisional name) (under construction plan) ◆ Establishment: The Nippon Foundation Dwango Gakuen Preparatory Committee ◆ President: Masato Wakayama (to be appointed)
◆ Opening: April 2025 (planned)
◆Capacity: 5,000 first-year admission capacity / 20,000 total capacity (planned) ◆ Tuition fee: 380,000 yen (planned) * Amount per year
* Please check here for the president and other faculty members scheduled to assume office ▶https://zen-univ.jp/academics/faculty Features of ZEN University
ZEN University is a “full-fledged online university from Japan” where all people can acquire the knowledge and education to be active in the global society. You can learn high-quality on-demand classes at your own pace, created by cutting-edge technology and professional faculty members who are active at the forefront, and you can acquire a university diploma only online. In addition, there are various program activities such as fieldwork and international exchange in cooperation with local communities and companies, and you can develop practical skills to play an active role in the real world.
Faculty/Curriculum
The faculty of ZEN University plans to open the “Faculty of
Intelligence and Information Society”, and establish related subjects consisting of five learning areas: “Humanities and Society”, “Information”, “Mathematical Science”, “Digital Industry”, and “Creative”. Acquire the knowledge and education necessary to play an active role in a global society.
Currently, Dwango has produced 12,150 class videos for a total of 135 subjects, with 6,480 videos for 72 subjects scheduled to be released in March 2027 when the school opens. Class videos will be provided by “ZEN Study,” which is a renewal of the online learning system “N Preparatory School” (https://www.nnn.ed.nico/).
*124 credits are required for graduation. Two credits are planned for standard subjects, so it is possible to graduate by acquiring credits for 62 subjects in four years.
[Humanities/Society]
“Social literacy” to acquire basic knowledge of the region, Japan and the world, “Business literacy” to learn about the movement of the economy and companies and connect it to one’s career, “Metaliteracy” to acquire ways of perceiving and thinking about things Configure We aim to respond to the wide-ranging curiosity of young people about society and support the construction of life and career guidelines.
[Image 2: https://prtimes.jp/i/96446/203/resize/d96446-203-4d53ad0617d4bdce3f1d-1.jpg&s3=96446-203-f8dd642029e0273dae97e4ed453b9856-1039×191.jpg] 【information】
We will set up practical courses in which students acquire the knowledge that will enable them to obtain national qualifications and conduct actual development. After learning the basics of programming, you will gradually acquire skills in IT, application development, and data science. We introduce cutting-edge ICT tools and aim to realize practical information education for active participation in all industrial fields.
[Image 3: https://prtimes.jp/i/96446/203/resize/d96446-203-45f645a8e293f0d7d5ca-2.jpg&s3=96446-203-c4d9abf514f77f9f81e62e80a4ae7c0a-1040×244.jpg] [Mathematical Science]
In addition to the basic mathematics curriculum, we develop learning based on the theme of how to apply it to society. After systematically learning the history of mathematics and calculus, we will set up practical subjects that can be used in the fields of economics and information. In addition, we plan to offer courses such as Galois theory and IUT theory for students who want to study mathematics in a specialized way.
[Image 4: https://prtimes.jp/i/96446/203/resize/d96446-203-1d25893d2c0c0c6ddb55-3.jpg&s3=96446-203-4a99cc4d650ac3bf1c2bf6000a99ecf3-1040×203.jpg] [Digital industry]
Focusing on the fields of anime, games, manga, IT, and the Internet, students will learn about the industrial structure of each industry, the history leading to the present day, and the important events that led to the prosperity of each industry. By learning about the history of the industry, differences in values over time, and the impact that content has had on society, you will acquire the knowledge necessary to create new things and the ability to think in response to changes in the times.
[Image 5: https://prtimes.jp/i/96446/203/resize/d96446-203-433f3e68ff13c7d94de7-4.jpg&s3=96446-203-a67d6be30aea5974e141e160010c4459-724×669.jpg] 【creative】
Using the latest AI and digital tools, we aim to have students actually create and output. Through classes, students will learn and create thinking about manufacturing starting from scratch, and through the process of building, acquire skills and planning creativity that can be used in society.
[Image 6: https://prtimes.jp/i/96446/203/resize/d96446-203-41c72b57cd780156f68e-5.jpg&s3=96446-203-44d23c87f369d4b66f572ceb35ba682a-1529×225.jpg] research project
As an initiative that will lead to future development, we will launch research projects in various fields such as mathematics, AI, and the content industry.
◇IUGC (Director: Fumimoto Kato / Deputy Director: Ivan Fesenko) We will establish the IUGC (Inter-Universal Geometry Center), a research facility to promote and disseminate the IUT theory, a world-famous mathematical theory originating in Japan, and to open up the future of mathematics. If you pass all the courses, you will have more knowledge of IUT theory than any mathematics student in any university in the world. In addition, the world’s first original introductory course will be established to broaden the base of mathematicians who understand the IUT theory.
◇ Second Matsuo Lab (Special Visiting Professor Yutaka Matsuo) A new laboratory will be established by Professor Yutaka Matsuo of the Graduate School of the University of Tokyo, a leading AI researcher. ZEN University’s No. 2 Matsuo Lab develops the next generation of students with the knowledge and skills necessary for the ever-changing AI era, with the theme of “refining the skills to use AI more closely and optimally.” Personnel exchanges and joint study sessions with the Matsuo Laboratory of the University of Tokyo are also planned. ◇History Project (Visiting Professors: Shinichiro Inoue, Koichi Hamamura) We develop the history of the Japanese content industry such as IT, games, manga, anime, and internet culture as a shared property of society. We interview key persons, creators, engineers, etc. in the industry, record them as primary materials, and form historical assets that can be deployed globally.
extracurricular program
We offer a variety of “community and company collaboration programs” through fieldwork based in various parts of Japan. You will stay in various regions and collaborate with local governments and companies to solve problems and participate in joint projects. By collaborating with others and directly tackling problems for which there is no correct answer, students acquire the skills required in the real world, such as creativity, leadership, and coping with stress, while putting themselves in the field where society is changing.
[Image 7: https://prtimes.jp/i/96446/203/resize/d96446-203-43d6de9ee45de72688b9-6.jpg&s3=96446-203-f209f84dd4ed7bf1defe836bc6bed0d6-1371×282.jpg] *Other details about ZEN University ▶ https://zen-univ.jp
Details about this release:
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