Family Business
Graduate School of Media and Governance
Doctoral program Third year
Othman Ali Almazyad
Connecting the dots in new ways.
Most people in Saudi Arabia are familiar with western culture. I wanted to try something different, as being in an unfamiliar place inspires me and boosts my creativity. That's why I came to Japan.
Knowledge from abroad has played an important role in evolving Japan since the Meiji Restoration. Back in the late 19th century, Japanese scholars visited the west during the Iwakura Mission, to learn from other countries. Saudi Arabia is doing the same right now, by sending over 150,000 government-sponsored students to study all over the world. I was one of the first Saudi students to come to Japan through this program.
The reason why I decided to study at the Graduate School of Media and Governance was largely thanks to its flexible and supportive learning environments. Here, the open-minded teachers encourage the students to take initiative and to participate in active learning.
For my masters, I decided to study Social Innovation and applied for the Certificate Program. But I've always been interested in Product Design too and got a chance to explore that filed as well.
I hope that sharing what I've learned at SFC will help my home country grow and develop in new ways.
Currently, I'm a research student, focusing on Shinise or long-established Japanese businesses. These three areas are quite different but connected on a personal level through my passion and interests. The flexible learning environment at SFC makes it possible to connect the dots in new ways.
The many long-lasting Shinise companies in Japan are often family owned. Knowledge and innovations have been passed down through generations. I think this can be a good inspiration for Saudi Arabia, as my country currently looks for ways to reduce our dependence on oil and to diversify our economy. My research paper on Japanese management was published in a Saudi Arabian cultural magazine, and I hope that I can continue to contribute to the knowledge economy of both countries by sharing what I've learned at SFC.