Economic activities are deeply rooted in our daily lives and social interactions, and we cannot escape their influence. For example, the act of shopping that we do every day is a typical economic activity. The wages and rewards we earn at work provide the funds necessary to purchase goods and services. In addition, the taxes we pay are used to fund public services and social welfare, supporting the well-being of society as a whole. Savings and investments are also closely linked to economic activity. When we deposit money in a bank, that money is used to lend to businesses and invest in new projects, helping to stimulate the economy.
Economics, as a discipline, studies these various economic activities, making it one of the most relevant fields of study in our lives. Kobe University’s Faculty and Graduate School of Economics, with its 120-year history, is one of the most prestigious centers for economics education and research in Japan. Our Faculty and Graduate School are independent of the Faculty and Graduate School of Business Administration, allowing us to focus exclusively on economics. This independence is rare among national universities in Japan, and it explains why Kobe University’s Faculty and Graduate School of Economics has over 40 faculty members with expertise across various areas of economics, fostering a truly diverse academic environment. This diversity is our greatest strength in teaching and research. To understand complex and rapidly changing economic activities, it is essential to approach them from multiple and diverse perspectives.
For students, the diversity of this academic discipline opens up opportunities to encounter what they want to learn, what they should learn, and what may be useful in the future. The encounter with knowledge that might be useful in the future is particularly important. It is often said that universities should teach things that are immediately useful to society. However, knowledge that is immediately useful can sometimes become outdated quickly. On the contrary, it is crucial to learn things at university that may not seem useful right away, but could be of great value in the future. One of the privileges of being a university student is having the time to engage in what may seem like unnecessary study.
In the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, there is a passage that reads, “In the morning sow your seed, and at the evening do not let your hands be idle; for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good”. The same can be said of academic endeavors. No one knows beforehand what kind of learning will really benefit her/him in the future. What may seem like useless study may turn out to be something that will sustain you later in life. At Kobe University’s Faculty and Graduate School of Economics, such encounters with valuable learning are sure to await you. We look forward to meeting those who seek such encounters.
Dean of the Graduate School of Economics and Faculty of Economics
Takuji Kinkyo