Akita International University

About AIU

President’s Message

President, Akita International University
Norihiko Suzuki, DBA

Picture of President Suzuki

Free yourself from all values and reshape yourself

Since its foundation, the University, which celebrated its 13th anniversary in April 2017, has been communicating the idea of International Liberal Arts from Akita to the whole world as the leading institution developing global human resources in Japan.

International Liberal Arts, which has been highly esteemed by all quarters including educators, is the trend of the 21st century that universities across the world are aiming to incorporate.

The global knowledge-based society of the 21st century requires human resources equipped with all human qualities such as intelligence, physical strength, and moral values.

International Liberal Arts is an all‐around education on methods and arts of liberating ourselves from the values and customs that have shaped us and create our new selves to gain different abilities that are necessary to achieving success in the global society. AIU is the leading university in International Liberal Arts in Japan.

In this global era, we can instantaneously connect with 7 billion people worldwide simply by touching the keyboard of an electronic equipment using Information and Communication Technology and exchange messages with each other, creating the fundamental composition of an individual versus the world anywhere in the world. Graduates of our university become the individual in this composition, depart from Akita and achieve global success. Some of them decide to base their activities in Akita as the center of the world.

You may question what individuality is, who you are, and how you want to live your life. You must have plenty of questions to ask yourself, but constantly asking yourself questions, finding answers and achieving self-realization is the very process of becoming an individual.

Just as many of our graduates have accomplished, each current and prospective students at AIU will become an individual in the global society by taking on new challenges through challenging educational programs provided entirely in English, discussions with teaching staff and fellow students, and their year abroad.

Akita International University looks forward to welcoming those wishing to make the world their stage.

Norihiko Suzuki

President’s Profile

1945 Born in Kuroiso Machi, Nasu Gun (Currently Nasu Shiobara City), Tochigi Prefecture
1968 B.A., Economics, Hitotsubashi University
1972 M.A., Economics, Hitotsubashi University
1978 D.B.A., Indiana University
1978 - 1982 Assistant Professor and Associate Professor, Washington State University
1982 - 1986 Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1986 - 1990 Associate Professor, International Christian University
1990 - 2012 Professor, International Christian University
1991 - 1992 Visiting Professor, University of Washington
2000 - 2004 Vice-President for Academic Affairs, International Christian University
2004 - 2012 President, International Christian University
2010 - 2012 President, The Association of Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia
2012 - 2013 Senior Managing Director, Japan University Accreditation Association
2013 - present President (Chair of the Board), Akita International University
- present Member, Council for the Implementation of Education Rebuilding
Member,Central Council for Education, University Education Section
President, Japan Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education

Publications include, Takokuseki Kigyou Keieiron (Management of Multinational Enterprises, Dobunkan, 1988), Winner of the 1988 Management Science Literature Award, Kokusai Marketing (International Marketing, Dobunkan, 1989), Kigyousenryaku to Kokusaikankeiron (Corporate Strategy and International Relations, Yuhikaku, 1995), Takokuseki Kigyou to Kokusai Kankei no Tougou Riron (The Multinational Business and International Relations -Toward the Integrated Theory Building-, Kokusai Shoin, 1997), Kokusai Keiei Seijigaku (The Global Corporate Politics, Bunshindo, 2000), Global Kyoikuzai Ido Riron (Global Transfer Theory of Education Products, Bunshindo, 2014), Journal of International Business Studies, Academy of Management Journal, International Management Review, Asia-Pacific Journal of Management, The Columbia Journal of World Business, and many more.

Greetings from the President's Office

"I am glad to announce that I will issue my opinions/thoughts through this letter occasionally with the hope of increasing communication between all of you and me." (An excerpt from the first issue)