BUILD Program

Overview

AIU’s BUILD (Building Information Literacy for a Digital Society) program is designed to increase students’ interest in mathematics, data science, and AI and develop their ability to understand and use these methods appropriately.

This program has received the MDASH Literacy Level Accreditation by the Japanese Government, valid until Mar. 2028.

Background and Objectives

We live in an increasingly data-driven world; a world in which AI algorithms not only underlie many of our daily interactions but will also profoundly shape both our individual and collective futures.

Acquiring and integrating a broad knowledge of world cultures, human societies, and the natural world, as well as enhancing the ability to make independent, informed decisions are both part of the educational goals of AIU to realize its mission to prepare students to be leaders in a global society.

Given the rapid advances in technology and the changes it brings to our global society, AIU renewed its curriculum in 2021 to produce innovative leaders who will be capable of creating new values in a future society of increasing uncertainty. This involved enhancing educational content that focuses on the evolving relationship between technology and human society.

The BUILD program has been designed as part of this enhancement to help students explore and understand their place in this world of data and to develop a broad and fundamental view of how data and AI shape our society. Only by being aware of the pitfalls and unintended consequences of algorithmic approaches can we responsibly harness the power of data science and AI and build an ethical, sustainable, and human-centered future in which these tools enrich our lives and support a fair and equitable society.

Learning Outcomes

Throughout this program, students will gain the following basic skills:

Build numerical literacy through the study of statistics
Acquire data collection, analysis, and presentation skills
Gain awareness of the data-driven nature of society
Gain experience and aptitude in data-driven decision making
Understand the societal impacts of AI and related technologies and associated ethical issues

Requirements of Completion

To complete the program, students must satisfy all of the following requirements:

Earn credits in Statistics (MAT200; 3 credits)
Earn credits in either Computer Literacy (CCS120; 3 credits) or Artificial Intelligence and Humanity (DGT330; 3 credits)
Earn a total of 6 credits

Structure of the Program

The BUILD Program comprises three courses which are open to all undergraduate students. The credits earned in this program will be counted in the accumulated credits that are part of the graduation requirements.

Statistics (MAT200)
Computer Literacy (CCS120)
Artificial Intelligence and Humanity (DGT330)

* The 6-character alphanumerics in parentheses are the course codes

As for all other content courses at AIU, the above three courses are delivered in English.

High Engagement, All in English

See the latest syllabus for details of the respective courses. Searching using the course codes is the easiest way to find the contents.

AIU Syllabus Search

No additional applications are required to register or to be certified for the BUILD Program. Students who were enrolled on and after AY2021 and have satisfied the completion requirements will be automatically certified as having met the requirements of this program.

Other BUILD-related Courses at AIU

A wide variety of additional courses which cover topics ranging from big data and machine learning, through portfolio management, to empirical methods in sustainability science have been identified as connecting well to the intentions of BUILD program. Please see the list below for the titles and codes of these additional courses.

See the latest syllabus for details of the respective courses. Searching using the course codes is the easiest way to find the contents.

AIU Syllabus Search

See the Curricular Flow page for details of AILA 1 to 4 in the table

Area	Introduction (AILA1 – 2)	Interdisciplinary Learning (AILA2 – 3)	Electives in Accordance with Study Theme (AILA3 – 4)
Mathematics	Math for Liberal Arts (MAT100) College Algebra (MAT150)	Analysis of Economic Data (ECN220) Mathematical Methods for Economics (ECN205) Linear Algebra (MAT260) Calculus (MAT250)	AI, Games, and Mathematics: Igo Math (MAT230) Data Modeling (MAT300) Mathematics for the Digital World (MAT240) Finance Data Workshop (ECN339) Portfolio Management (ECN347) Quantitative Methods in Marketing (ECN316) Econometrics and Applications (ECN327) Time Series Econometrics (ECN338)
Data Science and AI	Programming Principles (CCS125)	Critical Issues in the Digital Age (DGT150) Learning and Technology (DGT200) Information Science (INF260)	Cyberpsychology (PSY310) Remote Sensing Applications in Sustainability Science (SUS370) Empirical Concepts and Methods of Sustainability Science (SUS300) Learning and Design (DGT320) Machine Learning and Big Data (CCS320) Technology and Society (ECN337) Poetry of Programming (MAT340)

List of courses as of April 2023

BUILD and MDASH Model Curriculum

The BUILD program is designed in line with the model curriculum presented by the Japan Inter-University Consortium for Mathematics, Data Science and AI Education.

Study Area 1 (Introduction)

Use of data and AI contributes deeply to the ongoing social changes (4th industrial revolution, Society 5.0, data-driven society, etc.) and is closely related to one’s own life.

Model Curriculum Corresponding Items	BUILD Courses
Introduction 1-1: Changes Occurring in Society	Computer Literacy (CCS120) Artificial Intelligence and Humanity (DGT330)
Introduction 1-6: Latest Trends in Data and AI Utilization	Computer Literacy (CCS120) Artificial Intelligence and Humanity (DGT330)

Study Area 2 (Introduction)

“Data used in society” and “areas of data use” are wide-ranging and can be useful tools for solving problems in daily life and society.

Model Curriculum Corresponding Items	BUILD Courses
Introduction 1-2: Data Used in Society	Computer Literacy (CCS120) Artificial Intelligence and Humanity (DGT330)
Introduction 1-3: Areas of Data and AI Application	Computer Literacy (CCS120) Artificial Intelligence and Humanity (DGT330)

Study Area 3 (Introduction)

Examples of data utilization in various data utilization fields are presented, and value is created by combining them with knowledge in various application fields (distribution, manufacturing, finance, services, infrastructure, public, healthcare, etc.).

Model Curriculum Corresponding Items	BUILD Courses
Introduction 1-4: Technologies for Data and AI Utilization	Computer Literacy (CCS120) Artificial Intelligence and Humanity (DGT330)
Introduction 1-5: Data and AI Utilization in the Field	Computer Literacy (CCS120) Artificial Intelligence and Humanity (DGT330)

Study Area 4 (Attitude)

Understand the points to consider in protecting data, such as information security and information leakage, taking into account various considerations (ELSI, personal information, data ethics, AI social principles, etc.) when utilizing data.

Model Curriculum Corresponding Items	BUILD Courses
Attitude 3-1: Considerations for Data and AI Utilization	Computer Literacy (CCS120) Artificial Intelligence and Humanity (DGT330)
Attitude 3-2: Considerations in Protecting Data	Computer Literacy (CCS120) Artificial Intelligence and Humanity (DGT330)

Study Area 5 (Foundation)

Exercises using real data, real problems (including academic data), and other examples in society as subjects, related to basic applications of mathematics, data science, and AI, such as “reading, explaining, and handling data.”

Model Curriculum Corresponding Items	BUILD Courses
Foundation 2-1: Reading Data	Statistics (MAT200)
Foundation 2-2: Explaining Data	Statistics (MAT200)
Foundation 2-3: Working with Data	Statistics (MAT200)