Kengo HIRACHI
Dean of the Graduate School
of Mathematical Sciences
The University of Tokyo

The Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences was established in 1992 to foster a culture of mathematics and mathematical sciences from an international standpoint, as well as to contribute to the overall development of society. It is a unified graduate school for mathematics and related areas, and the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences is in full charge of mathematics education at the University of Tokyo.

We accept each year 53 graduate students for the Master program and 32 for the Ph.D. program. The courses of the Graduate School cover all fields of mathematical sciences including algebra, geometry, analysis, and applied mathematics. The courses and seminars are given in English when there are students who do not speak Japanese. Besides these courses, we invite many researchers from outside of the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences to teach application-oriented subjects including economics, finance, and information technology. We have courses to train students in actuarial and statistical sciences, which are directly connected to real world experience. Students conduct research in an independent and fulfilling environment, supported by their thesis advisors. They study as independent scholars with free and ample access to various facilities. For example, the library of the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences is one of the best libraries in mathematics in the world. The graduates of our school work at universities and colleges, research institutes, government ministries, finance and insurance institutions, information technology companies, and so forth. They actually contribute to the development of society in various fields. The Graduate School grew out of two independent departments of mathematics that existed within the University of Tokyo: one in the Faculty of Science on the Hongo campus and the other in the College of Arts and Sciences on the Komaba Campus. All the faculty members of these two departments joined in the new graduated school in 1992. We have our building of the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences at the southeast edge of the Komaba Campus since 1995.

Presently, the number of tenured professors and associate professors at the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences is about 56. Besides tenured professors and associate professors, we have visiting professors and overseas visiting professors. Members of the Graduate School conduct leading-edge research in all fields of mathematical sciences, from algebra, geometry, and analysis to applied mathematics. The long tradition of advanced scholarly research since before the merger of the two departments of mathematics helps the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences function as an international research center. We host over 150 researchers from around the world each year and there are many overseas exchange students. Thus, the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences plays a role of an international hub in mathematics. Based on this track record, Fren¬ch-Japanese Labora¬tory of Mathematics and its Interactions (FJ-LMI) was established in 2023 by the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences. Researchers and students from France will stay at our school for a long/medium term to conduct research exchanges. FJ-LMI is expected not only to produce results for researchers, but also to provide a basis for international activities by building a network of researchers through direct exchanges among the younger generation, including students.

Even in these 20 years, we experienced a new stage in the evolution of mathematics. There has been tremendous progress in areas where mathematics and other branches of sciences collude, and mathematical knowledge has become the backbone of various sciences like physics, biology, chemistry, information theory, engineering, economics, etc. These developments show the importance of collaborations with other branches of sciences as well as with the society.

We are intimately collaborating with the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU) which is the first institute in Todai Institutes for Advanced Study (TODIAS). It was founded in 2007 by the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI) of the Japanese government. It received a very high international evaluation, and it became a member of the Kavli institutes in 2012. At present, 7 faculty members at Kavli IPMU have joint appointments with the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences.

Within the University of Tokyo, the department of mathematics has a long history. It was founded in 1881 and it has always managed to keep its long tradition of sustaining a high academic level. It has maintained a rich library collection, a common research room, and has succeeded in sending graduates to fulfill a wide variety of roles in society. In keeping with these fine traditions, the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences aims at fulfilling its social duty by offering excellent education and by producing outstanding research results. All members of the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences will make every effort to meet these exciting challenges.

April 2024

Kengo HIRACHI