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Addressing the world’s most urgent challenges and seizing the most exciting opportunities necessitates active business involvement. At ICS, faculty-led initiatives and projects bring together industry practitioners, passionate students, and accomplished alumni to collaborate on cutting-edge research and innovative solutions, ensuring that their insights drive meaningful and substantial impact across various sectors today.

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Meet our alumni and discover the many ways they are making an impact around the world. Across industries, countries, and communities, they put their learning into practice by creating new value, bringing different perspectives together, and taking on complex challenges without easy answers. Through their wise leadership, our alumni carry forward the ICS mission of creating a better future for business and society.

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Welcome to the ICS Networks page. Here, we highlight our extensive international partnerships, collaborative programs, and exchange opportunities with leading business schools and institutions worldwide.

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                   Hitotsubashi ICS Global Network Week 2023
                     Nov 28, 2023
                   Diversity - the best word to describe
                   Hitotsubashi ICS | Jinn (MBA 2020)              
                     Nov 21, 2023
                    Global MBA in Japan | Osvaldo (MBA 2021)
                      Nov 21, 2023

Campus Newsroom

Hitotsubashi ICS Welcomes New Advisory Board Memberのサムネイル

Posted by Marketing Team on Oct 16, 2026, 4:20:00 PM

Hitotsubashi ICS Welcomes New Advisory Board Member

Hitotsubashi University Business School, School of International Corporate Strategy (Hitotsubashi ICS) is delighted to announce that Mr. James Kondo (Chairman, International House of Japan) has joined its Advisory Board. The Hitotsubashi ICS Advisory Board provides advice on the design and implementation of the school’s MBA program curriculum. Mr. Kondo joins existing Advisory Board Members Dr. Kazuo Iwano and Mr. Daisuke Kan. Download the press release here.
GNAM Leaders Explore the Future of Global Business Education at SDA Bocconiのサムネイル

Posted by Marketing Team on Jun 4, 2026, 4:37:01 PM

GNAM Leaders Explore the Future of Global Business Education at SDA Bocconi

Hitotsubashi University Business School, School of International Corporate Strategy (Hitotsubashi ICS) participated in Global Network for Advanced Management (GNAM) the 29th Deans and Directors Meeting, hosted by SDA Bocconi in Milan, Italy, from May 13 to 15, 2026. Representing Hitotsubashi ICS were Dean Emi Osono, MBA Program Director Professor Satoko Suzuki, and Faculty in Charge of External Affairs Professor Jesper Edman. The meeting brought together leaders from business schools across the GNAM network to discuss the future of global management education and explore new opportunities for collaboration. Throughout the three-day meeting, participants engaged in discussions on several strategic themes shaping business education worldwide. Topics included the integration of artificial intelligence into management curricula, the growing importance of geopolitical literacy for business leaders, faculty collaboration across institutions, alumni engagement, and innovative approaches to lifelong learning. A key focus of the meeting was how GNAM can continue to create value as a global network by developing initiatives that extend beyond individual member schools. Participants explored opportunities for shared educational offerings, enhanced communication among stakeholders, and new ways to strengthen the network’s impact on students, faculty, alumni, and future learners. The meeting also featured discussions on the role of business schools in preparing students and executives for an increasingly complex global environment. Participants emphasized the need to help future leaders understand the business implications of geopolitical developments, including trade policies, international relations, and regulatory changes. During the Directors’ session, participants exchanged ideas on increasing GNAM’s visibility on campus and strengthening engagement among students, faculty, and alumni. The meeting concluded with reflections on the importance of maintaining close collaboration among member schools and continuing to develop innovative solutions to the challenges facing global management education. Hitotsubashi ICS is proud to contribute to GNAM’s ongoing efforts to foster international collaboration, advance management education, and prepare globally minded leaders for an increasingly interconnected world. The next in-person GNAM Deans and Directors Meeting will be hosted by Fudan University in Shanghai, China, in April 2027.
GNAM Alumni Modules | Apply by Feb. 28, 2026のサムネイル

Posted by Marketing Team on Feb 1, 2026, 12:00:00 AM

GNAM Alumni Modules | Apply by Feb. 28, 2026

”Japan as Stakeholder Capitalism – Then, Now, and Future,” a GNAM Alumni Module hosted by Hitotsubashi ICS, will focus on Japan’s business environment, with particular emphasis on its long-standing tradition of stakeholder-oriented capitalism. This model, which prioritizes long-term value creation for a broad range of stakeholders beyond shareholders, is currently being re-evaluated and reshaped amidst a rapidly-changing economic, political and societal landscape. Key areas of focus for the module include evolving engagement with activist shareholders, addressing the multiple challenges associated with a super-aging society, advancing gender equality, promoting diversity and inclusion, and incorporating youth perspectives within the context of a increasingly silver democracy. The program will be particularly beneficial for GNAM alumni interested in the intersection of business practices and societal impact. In addition to exploring Japan’s stakeholder capitalism and economic landscape, the module will also feature cultural activities, field visits and guest speaker sessions, offering a comprehensive experience in one of the world’s most dynamic economies. Program Dates: April 13–16, 2026 Location: Tokyo, Japan Module Coordinator: Arina Kalinkina akalinkina@ics.hub.hit-u.ac.jp Application Period: Applications open: February 1, 2026 Applications close: February 28, 2026, 23:59 (JST) Eligibility: This program is open to alumni from all GNAM member schools. Alumni from institutions outside the GNAM network are not eligible to participate. For applications: Please contact the module coordinator. Don’t miss this opportunity to reconnect, upskill, and engage with the global GNAM alumni network.
The Establishment of Ikujiro Nonaka Knowledge Creation Endowed Laboratoryのサムネイル

Posted by Marketing Team on Jan 23, 2026, 2:31:10 PM

The Establishment of Ikujiro Nonaka Knowledge Creation Endowed Laboratory

PRESS RELEASE January 23, 2026 Hitotsubashi University Establishes the “Ikujiro Nonaka Knowledge Creation Endowed Laboratory” Hitotsubashi University Graduate School of Business Administration, School of International Corporate Strategy (Hitotsubashi ICS), will establish the “Ikujiro Nonaka Knowledge Creation Endowed Laboratory.” This initiative aims to advance cutting-edge research and education in the field of knowledge management, to which Professor Emeritus Ikujiro Nonaka made tremendous contributions before his passing in January 2025, and to contribute to organizational value creation activities.

Campus Blogs

Global Network Week in Seoul: Rethinking Context, Culture, and Strategyのサムネイル

Posted by Marketing Team on May 14, 2026, 10:34:35 AM

Global Network Week in Seoul: Rethinking Context, Culture, and Strategy

Global Network Week (GNW) at Seoul National University Graduate School of Business (SNU GSB) offered Class 2025 student Chen Hongxu (Hongxu) an opportunity to experience international business learning beyond the traditional MBA classroom. Through lectures, group projects, company visits, and cross-cultural collaboration, the program highlighted how culture, strategy, and local business environments are deeply interconnected. Reflecting Hitotsubashi ICS’s “Best of Two Worlds” philosophy, the experience encouraged Hongxu to connect diverse perspectives, rethink strategic decision-making in a global context, and better understand how successful organizations balance global ambitions with strong cultural identity.
The Race to Net Zero: Realizing the “Best of Two Worlds” during Global Network Week in Sydneyのサムネイル

Posted by Marketing Team on Apr 6, 2026, 12:00:00 AM

The Race to Net Zero: Realizing the “Best of Two Worlds” during Global Network Week in Sydney

Atsushi Kobayashi (MBA Class of 2025) reflects on his recent participation in Global Network Week (GNW) in Sydney, Australia. At Hitotsubashi ICS, the mission is to achieve the “Best of Two Worlds” by embracing complexity, connecting different values and perspectives, and creating new possibilities. For him, this mission has also become a vital lens through which he thinks about the kind of contribution he hopes to make as a professional after his MBA.
GNAM Global Network (GNW) Week at Yale SOM: A Truly Global Classroom Experienceのサムネイル

Posted by Marketing Team on Apr 6, 2026, 12:00:00 AM

GNAM Global Network (GNW) Week at Yale SOM: A Truly Global Classroom Experience

Global Network Week (GNW) at Yale School of Management (Yale SoM) offered a unique opportunity to step beyond the traditional MBA classroom and engage in a truly global learning environment. Bringing together students from leading business schools around the world, the program combined academic rigor with cross-cultural exchange, practical insights, and real-world exposure. Through a week of immersive lectures, discussions, and collaboration, the experience highlighted the importance of diverse perspectives, innovative thinking, and global connectivity in shaping modern leadership.

Read on ICS Knowledge

When the Past Shapes the Future: A Generational Look at Organizational Change

This article introduces key insights from the academic article, "Generation Gap? The Branching Influence of Historical Myths". It explores how the stories organizations tell about their past, especially when faced with challenges, significantly impact how different generations within the organization respond and shape its future. Organizations often face critical moments, from launching new initiatives to navigating crises. In these times, leaders frequently turn to history, using past events and narratives to rally support and inspire action. This report delves into how these historical narratives are created by senior members and interpreted by newer generations, revealing their profound and often unexpected long-term effects. Our research shows that the way these stories are shared and understood across generations can either propel an organization forward or trap it in cycles of inaction.

Posted by NOH, Sungchul on Jul 3, 2025, 4:52:20 PM

Toward Sustainable Wage Increases: The Role of Human Capital Investment in Post-Deflation Japan

Introduction: Breaking Out of Wage and Price Stagnation Japan has experienced a prolonged period of deflation, during which wages and prices stagnated for nearly three decades. Although there are recent signs of progress toward overcoming deflation, wage growth has not kept pace with rising prices. As a result, concerns about the future and the lack of real wage growth have dampened consumer spending. With purchasing power yet to recover sufficiently, there has been no meaningful improvement in the standard of living. Sustained wage growth is a key pillar for achieving stable economic growth. In this article, I argue that investments in human capital are foundational for achieving sustainable wage growth. While the recent trend toward higher wages is a welcome development, an examination of the reasons behind the wage hikes raises questions about their long-term viability. Wage increases are not a means to enhance productivity; rather, they are the result of improvements in productivity and added value. This virtuous cycle is driven by investments in human capital.

Posted by ONO, Hiroshi on Jul 1, 2025, 1:52:33 PM