The world today is marked by growing tensions and divisions. Differences in values and perspectives are becoming more visible not only between countries but also within societies. In such times, fostering understanding across cultures and experiences is both more challenging and more important than ever.

Since the end of the Cold War, globalization has accelerated the movement of people, goods, capital, and information across borders. While this process has deepened global interdependence, it has also brought new challenges, including cultural homogenization and widening inequalities. Global Studies has emerged as a field that examines both the opportunities and the complexities of our interconnected world.

For more than a decade, the Faculty of Global Studies at Sophia University has explored global issues such as poverty, conflict, migration and refugees, development, and environmental change from perspectives grounded in Asian, African, and Middle Eastern Studies. Through interdisciplinary learning and research, we seek to equip students with the intellectual tools needed to understand the diverse realities of global society in the 21st century.

At the same time, rapid changes in the information environment and advances in artificial intelligence are reshaping how knowledge is created and shared. Rather than viewing these developments with simple optimism or concern, we believe it is important to carefully consider how we engage with new technologies while continuing to learn from and about others.

The Faculty of Global Studies aims to be a place where students and scholars explore these questions together. By engaging with different perspectives and experiences, we hope our students will develop the curiosity, empathy, and insight needed to contribute to a more inclusive and interconnected world.