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Contributing to Society through "Future-oriented Intelligence," Built on an "All Kanazawa University" Approach

 

The 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, which occurred on January 1, caused extensive damage in various areas, particularly on the Noto Peninsula. I would like to express our heartfelt condolences to all those affected by the disaster. The affected communities are still far from returning to their normal lives, and we sincerely hope for their earliest possible restoration, recovery, and reconstruction. 

The world continues to face major social issues such as global environmental problems and protracted conflicts. It was amidst this international situation that the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake occurred. Since the disaster, we have continued to ask ourselves what we should do for the affected areas and for society in Japan and abroad.

??Immediately after the disaster, Kanazawa University set up the Disaster Control Headquarters on January 1, and established the Noto Resilience and Revitalization Center on January 30. The purpose of this center is to contribute to the development of culturally rich communities and towns that are resistant to earthquakes and other disasters, safe, secure, and comfortable for everyone to live in, as well as to the development of human resources by bringing together the wisdom of Kanazawa University, and to contribute to the recovery of the areas affected by the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake. Through an all Kanazawa University approach, the center is based on collaboration and co-creation with the community, local government, and companies, and a fusion of humanities, sciences, and medicine. In addition, as members of the academia, we will strongly promote the reconstruction, revitalization, and continued development of education, medical care, culture, and industry in Noto from a medium- to long-term perspective.

?About two years have passed since I was appointed as President of Kanazawa University in April 2022 and I announced the Future Vision of Kanazawa University, “Kokorozashi” (aspirations) in May. Kokorozashi is a clear statement of our unwavering vision for the future: to contribute to society through “future-oriented intelligence” built on an “all Kanazawa University” approach. This is based on our philosophy, as stated in the Charter of Kanazawa University, of being “a research university dedicated to education, while opening up its doors to both local and global society.” In Kokorozashi, we have declared three respective aspirations for research, education, and administration—to establish ourselves as a global research base, produce core leaders of society in the form of “Kanazawa University Brand talent,” and realize sustainable and autonomous administration. We will strive to realize Kokorozashi with an all Kanazawa University approach, in which students, faculty, and staff transcend their respective positions and work together with mutual respect.?????????????

??????????????? In terms of research, we are implementing various initiatives under the Interfaculty Institute for Frontier Science to accelerate our contributions to society through future-oriented intelligence driven by basic, applied, and social empirical research. In December 2023, the project was selected by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) for the Project for Establishment of Facilities for Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration and Joint Research through Collaboration of Regional Core and Distinctive Research Universities. In response, construction of the Experimental Research Center for Envisioning the Future Wing (tentative name), which will serve as a base for demonstration research, has begun on the Kakuma Campus. This facility is scheduled to be completed by the end of fiscal year 2024. We will promote interdisciplinary research, start-up creation, and empirical research to solve social issues, and also strengthen industry-academia collaboration and start-up support. Kanazawa University was also selected by MEXT for the Program for Forming Japan’s Peak Research Universities (J-PEAKS), with the aim of forming world-class bases for discontinuous innovation through the fusion of the humanities, sciences, and medicine to lead social change in this unpredictable era. Vision Incubate Co., Ltd., a venture capital company in which we have a 100% stake, began operations in August 2023. In a related development, Tech Startup HOKURIKU was selected for the Startup Ecosystem Co-Creation Program’s Regional Platform Co-Creation Support category together with the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST). The aforementioned Experimental Research Center for Envisioning the Future Wing will be one of the centers, and we will make further contributions to society by improving our research capabilities as a global research university and implementing them in society. Furthermore, we will actively work to build the environment necessary to accelerate and raise the level of international development and social implementation of research activities based on strategic management with our strengths and distinctive research capabilities at the core.

??????In terms of education, we are promoting an integrated education and support system from elementary education to graduate school under the Interfaculty Institute for Future Education. Selected for the Science and Technology Challenge Program for Next Generation, we offer a long-term, seamless training program for elementary, junior high, high school, and technical college students. In response to the needs of the nation, region, and industry, as of this academic year we have greatly expanded the admission capacity of the School of Tourism Sciences and Design, and the School of Smart Technology and Innovation in the College of Transdisciplinary Sciences for Innovation, and the School of Electrical, Information and Communication Engineering in the College of Science and Engineering. In addition, we have continuously implemented entrance examination reforms in response to changes in society, such as the introduction of special entrance examinations for female students in the College of Science and Engineering starting with this academic year. In academic year 2025, we will open a new graduate school connected to the College of Transdisciplinary Sciences for Innovation. We are very much looking forward to more highly motivated students deciding to enter and pursue studies in the doctoral program. To this end, we will also promote the initiatives of the Strategic Project for Development of Doctoral Students and Research Promotion (HaKaSe+). At the same time, we also offer field- and objective-tailored reskilling programs for working people seeking to acquire new skills and knowledge and improve their abilities to help them respond to changing social conditions and solve social issues.

????? In terms of management, Kanazawa University was selected by MEXT in November 2022 for the National University Management Reform Promotion Project. Through these efforts, our university has built a foundation for investing in people and promoting projects strongly toward its ideal of being a global research university with multiple world-class research bases. In addition, under the coordination of the Hokuriku Economic Federation, we will further enhance the HOKURIKU Open Platform for Co-creating the Future, which is jointly operated by four national universities in the Hokuriku region, including our university. Through this organization, we will accelerate open innovation through industry-academia-government collaboration.

????????? COVID-19 was downgraded to a Class V Infectious Disease as defined by the Act on the Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Medical Care for Patients with Infectious Diseases, and new ways of life are emerging. Kanazawa University's ties to the world are also being restored and expanded once again, including overseas study by our students and the acceptance of inbound international students—activities that were previously affected by COVID-19. In May 2023, the G7 Education Minister’s Meeting Excursion in Toyama and Kanazawa was held at our Kakuma Campus. Ministers from the G7 countries and representatives of international organizations visited our university and talked directly with students and faculty. It was a very valuable opportunity. Under these circumstances, Kanazawa University will promote the development of "Kanazawa University Brand talent" who will become core leaders of society under our unwavering vision for the future Kokorozashi. Furthermore, through the pursuit of world-class research, Kanazawa University will produce innovations and further promote contributions to society through future-oriented intelligence following an all Kanazawa University approach.

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April 1, 2024

 

 

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