Fundamental Principle

Principle and Purpose of Operation

Having obtained the new status, we adopt “Creation of new trends for future” as the new fundamental principle of the operation of the Institute for Future Engineering (IFENG). We inherit and enhance the methodologies developed and accumulated through the think tank operation and the networks of specialists. As a core organization of a knowledge-based society, we will make efforts to understand the present status of science and technology as well as the society at large, and to address problems related to innovation of management and policy making. Particular emphasis will be placed on analysis of future society, identification of core problems inherent to the society, and design of an integrated strategy for their solution. We believe that these activities will help us conceive the future as it should be and cooperate with the public to attain it.

 Current status

IFENG has now established a firm reputation as an independent think tank focused on science and technology. We have been receiving about 40 research commissions per year, including those by government agencies. IFENG’s legal status was renewed April 1, 2013 as a public interest incorporated foundation.

 IFENG has been ranked seventh (2010), eighth (2012, 2013), sixth (2014) and 5th (2015) in the science and technology sector among world’s think tanks in the Global Go To Think Tank Index (GGTTI) published by University of Pennsylvania.

http://repository.upenn.edu/think_tanks/

 One of our most remarkable achievements is the implementation of the 4th to 9th Delphi surveys (Science and Technology Foresight) commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. We are also involved in the latest 10th survey. The network with the sci-tech community is, along with the network with members of Japan Society for Future Research (the secretariat for the survey), Japan Society for Science Policy and Research Management and Japanese Society for Integrative Medicine, an important intellectual asset of IFENG.

 Our former English name Institute for Future Technology (IFTECH) was changed to the current Institute for Future Engineering (IFENG) as of 2011 for better correspondence to the Japanese name.