- The “Power of Tohoku University” to create the future -

 

Mission of Tohoku University

   I am assuming the duties of the President of Tohoku University, which has 104 years of history and glorious tradition. For the next 6 years, I will concentrate all of my effort and do my best for Tohoku University.

   With the effort and dedication of many people who love Tohoku University, we have established a history as a remarkable education and research center with our faculty, students and alumni, led by successive Presidents. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your cooperation and support.

   The Mission of Tohoku University is to adhere to the “Research First” principle, “Open Door” policy and “Practice-Oriented Research and Education”, to be internationally recognized for its outstanding standards in education and research, and to contribute to world peace and equity by devoting itself to research useful in solving societal problems. By essentially fulfilling this mission, Tohoku University will build a solid position as a leader of the world and will be received with trust and respect by international society.
   Setting our goal to fulfill this mission, we have to further improve the quality of research and education and promote development as an international top leader both in name and reality.

 

Current Environment and Two Key Phrases ("Progress toward becoming a World-class University" and "Leading the Tohoku restoration")

   Including the experiences of the Great East Japan Earthquake, we are in turbulent times of decreasing industrial earnings power, declining birthrate and aging society. In addition, we have to solve some problems of global society such as intensifying international competition due to globalization and global environmental problems. It is said that today's Japan is in the midst of a paradigm shift, its third opening to the world in history, equivalent to the Meiji Restoration and the postwar reform.

   In this global and chaotic era, the principles of nation and society are being questioned once again. Universities as higher education institutions are not exceptional. Universities in Japan are intensifying some reform efforts such as the new fall enrollment system, in order to enhance their function and foster global human resources. This is not only because of the sharp decline in the university-age population, but because the research and educational system in Japan has not been able to sufficiently respond to the globalization of economic society and the development of an information-oriented society.
   In this situation, we have to bear in mind that universities are public properties that create and inherit wisdom. Since we have been able to accumulate knowledge for over 100 years because of financial support from the population, we have a significant issue of how we can fulfill our mandate from the public and society. In order to do so, it is important that we have a firm basic stance on "what we have to do for the next generation".

   I would like to continue my efforts to achieve our mission on a more advanced level for the next generation. I will show you this goal with these two key phrases, "Progress toward becoming a World-Class University" and "Leading the Tohoku Restoration".
   Firstly, we will enrich our academic foundation, improve our level of research and education further and aim at "Progress toward becoming a World-class University". From an educational point of view, we will redefine Liberal Arts from which we can not only obtain knowledge but also broaden our intelligence and demonstrate it for our society. In addition, setting up an environment that provides interdisciplinary and varied education for students of many nationalities and of many specialized areas, we will nurture human resources who can be active in global society with superior language skills and communication competence. In terms of research, we will promote leading-edge and interdisciplinary research and improve foundational research as a world-leading research center. While research activities in universities are based on free ideas by individuals, strategic focus will be also needed in consideration of our mandate from the population and society. In order to focus on such research and educational activities, we will improve our campuses with landscaping that is in harmony with both the natural environment and functionality. Then we will secure the research and educational environment with robust management by a lean organization.
   Second, we will aim at "Leading the Tohoku Restoration". A year has passed since the misery of the Great East Japan Earthquake. People in the afflicted areas are starting to recover, but they will have to continue to work seriously in the future. As a large university in the afflicted area, Tohoku University has launched the Institute for Disaster Reconstruction and Regeneration Research and has constructed over 180 projects including 7 massive projects such as the establishment of International Research Projects on Disaster Science and the implementation of the Tohoku Medical Bank Program. We will conduct these projects in collaboration with domestic and international researchers, corporations and governments. Then, we will enhance information transmission in order to further spread the appeal and activities of Tohoku University both at home and abroad.

 

As a leader creating the future

   I believe that Tohoku University does not have to follow the times but can go ahead of the times, create the future and position itself in history. We have decided to realize our mission beyond nations and regions as a World-class research and education center. At the same time, while globalization cannot be avoided, being conscious that we are a university in the Tohoku area of Japan, I have decided to contribute to the regeneration of Japan through wide collaboration with regional societies.
   In order to put these decisions into practice, we hope to consolidate our responsible management and promotion systems and consider concrete strategies to clarify our direction and enable each of you to participate in creative activities with pleasure.

   I will be very glad if each of you shares in our mission and contributes to achieving it.

   In closing, I look forward to your understanding and support.

 

April 2, 2012
Susumu Satomi
President of Tohoku University