Our Purpose

Doshisha's Educational Philosophy

Conscience Monument
While living abroad for nine years in Europe and the United States, our founder, Jo Niijima, experienced the spiritual impact Christianity had on the world. One of them being conscience.

The conscience monument or nameplate expresses the fundamental principle of Doshisha. In a letter to a student, Niijima wrote, 'I hope that a strong person with a conscience will appear.' This passage was the image of the student and school that Niijima expected. These words appear etched on all Doshisha school campus stone monuments. The 9th such monument is located on-site at the entrance to DIA.

The Educational Philosophy of Doshisha was founded in 1875 (later Doshisha University in 1920) by Niijima Jō (新島襄), known by his English name Joseph Hardy Neesima was a Japanese Protestant missionary and educator during the Meiji era.

We strive to nurture individuals dedicated to bettering their lives through lifelong learning. Who are committed to bettering the world through global cooperation and devoted to promoting love as a principle helping us choose the right path while cherishing God's gift of life.

Christianity - To acquire the vitality to nurture your spirit and conduct, encourage knowledge acquisition, and cultivate conscience.
Liberalism - Cultivate the ability to act independently and make each individual aware of their potential.
Internationalism - Fostering people who can speak other languages, accept different values, and find something in them.

Motto

Learning for life, learning for the world, learning for love.

Mission

DISK provides a quality education within a positive culture of excellence and a caring family community. The school’s mission is implemented by the staff who have created a warm and safe environment; one that supports the academic, social, physical, and emotional needs of all students.

Vision

DISK strives to be a community of high-achieving, internationally minded learners led by a team of dedicated professionals, that set children up for success in the International Baccalaureate (IB) and beyond.

Schoolwide Learner Outcomes: The IB Learner Profile

As an IBO World School, DISK adopted the IB Learner Profile as the Schoolwide Learner Outcomes. DISK is committed to developing a learning community that models the IB Learner Profile:

Balanced
Make well-balanced decisions in terms of learning, body, and mind in order to bring happiness to themselves and others.

Communicators
Listen carefully to other people's opinions and express themselves with enthusiasm using language and methods appropriate to the situation.

Caring
Have compassion, empathy, and respect, and act in ways that are useful to society and people.

Inquirers
Exploring deeply with curiosity.

Knowledgeable
Deepen their conceptual understanding in order to utilize the knowledge they have acquired from a wide range of fields.

Principled
Take responsibility for their own actions and act faithfully to others.

Risk Takers
Make decisions after considering the risks involved and challenge new ideas and methods on their own or in cooperation with others.

Open-minded
Accept different cultures and ideas and strive to grow by creating new values within themselves.

Reflective
Objectively and deeply consider ones own characteristics, ideas, and experiences, and act to promote learning and growth.

Thinkers
Considers information and thinks critically and thinks creatively.

Values

DISK’s community life is anchored to Christian values—such as Peace, Harmony, Honesty, Gratitude, Joy, Trust, Love, Forgiveness, Hope, Respect, and Compassion.

These values shape our students’ moral and spiritual development through homeroom lessons, assemblies, and performances. They are further reinforced during our weekly worship services, which include a hymn, a reading, a brief reflection on the monthly theme, and a concluding prayer.

In addition, the Chaplain provides ongoing spiritual support, worship leadership, and guidance to students, faculty, and families, reflecting our school’s commitment to moral growth and empathy.

Updated Jan'25