Tohoku University Recommencement Declaration

　　　[Opening the Path to the Future as a World-Class University]

　　　　　-Rehabilitation, Revival, and Contributing to the Continuous Development of Human Society-

 

[Our Campuses Held Up Well to the Great East Japan Earthquake]

 I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake, and my deep gratitude for the unfaltering efforts of those providing aid and support to the affected areas. I would also like to express my appreciation for the heartfelt support and speedy assistance received from overseas.

 The earthquake in question, measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale with a maximum shaking of level 7 according to observations, was one of the largest recorded in history, and the accompanying tsunami caused enormous damage. However, our campuses proved secure and happily no injuries were sustained.

 We are closely observing the situation at the Number 1 Nuclear Power Plant in Fukushima, over 80km away, where there have been leaks of radioactive material. According to measurements taken by the University, radiation levels in Sendai are within the normal range.

 Tohoku University is currently putting all its energy into the restoration of our educational and research capabilities, and will start the new academic year on May 6th.

 

 

 

[A World-Class University]

 Since its foundation in 1907 (year 40 of the Meiji era), Tohoku University has held to a tradition of putting “Research First”, while maintaining an “Open Door” policy in order to emphasize “Practice-Oriented Research and Education”. By applying research results to the many problems confronting human society, and by nurturing leadership potential, we aim to contribute to a peaceful and just human society. That history is also a history of the untiring efforts made by the people connected to the University.

 Society nowadays is seeing accelerating yet discontinuous change, and we are in a time when predicting crises is becoming increasingly difficult as situations continuously arise that overturn previous assumptions. We are facing a serious situation where the problems of climate change accompanying global warming and the destruction of nature, as well as medical, energy, food, and poverty problems that threaten the survival and the dignity of humanity will shake our political, economic, and industrial systems if left unaddressed in an opaque future. Furthermore, when examining the tragic reality of the current disaster, we cannot abdicate responsibility as specialists by saying that it “exceeded expectations”, but rather realize that this is a responsibility with regards to human society that we must shoulder in order to resolve the inconsistency.

 I hereby declare our intention to focus all our efforts on turning sorrow into the light of hope by simultaneously focusing on the sustainable development of human society, as well as the recovery and restoration of affected areas. We will maximize our education, research and outreach activities, considering this our duty to contribute to human society as a world-class university.

 

[Tohoku University’s New Challenges  Brand-New Tohoku University]　

 Faced with an almost unprecedented disaster, we do not aim merely to reconstruct and restore the region, but rather seek to implement a paradigm shift to a new human society, based on ‘Constructing a Safe and Dependable Society’.

 Our facilities and equipment suffered some damage in the disaster, but our functionality and true worth has not been reduced.

 As a center for academic research and regional regeneration located in the disaster area, Tohoku University pledges to support the reconstruction and regeneration of local communities, both through the individual efforts of specialists and through systematic initiatives by the university as a whole by transmitting and putting research results into practice.

 Finally, for the sake of future generations we will push forwards with efforts to create a safe and dependable society living in harmony with nature. Through these efforts Tohoku University will endeavor to support the evolution of human society while becoming a university worthy of the trust, respect, and affection of the world.

 

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

 

April 2011

Akihisa Inoue

President of Tohoku University

 

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