Naoshi Sugiyama
President, Nagoya University
I have been given the opportunity to serve as Nagoya University President for six years, from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2028.
Nagoya University originated from the Temporary Medical School/Public Hospital that was established in 1871. It became an Imperial University of Japan in 1939. At the time, it consisted of the School of Medicine and the School of Science and Engineering. During the postwar period, the Eighth Senior High School (established in 1908), Nagoya College of Economics (formerly Nagoya Higher Commercial School, established in 1920), and Okazaki Higher Normal School (established in 1945), were integrated into the University in 1949. Under Japan's renewed educational system, this marked the start of the modern Nagoya University.
When Japan rebuilt itself after the war, Nagoya University was established as a comprehensive university. Nagoya University must have seemed like the legendary Mount Liang, with ambitious young researchers taking the place of that legend's heroes. Taking advantage of the fact that Nagoya University lacked strict traditions, it produced a free and vibrant academic culture and built a reputation for original and high-quality research. This energy was handed down to our students, leading to outstanding research as represented by the six Nagoya University faculty members who have been awarded Nobel Prizes.
Nagoya University is in the Tokai region, one of Japan's leading areas for industry. It has sent many people to the world of industry and has been responsible for several important innovations, including the invention of the blue light-emitting diode.
Nagoya University has grown to become one of Japan's leading comprehensive research universities, having nine schools and 13 graduate schools. Not content to sit still, in 2020, we joined with Gifu University to establish the Tokai National Higher Education and Research System.
Since becoming corporate entities in 2004, Japan's national universities have faced an era of rapid change. They must now set up mid-term objectives and plans and then assess their progress every six years. The year 2022 is the first year of the fourth of these mid-term assessment periods. In the previous assessment period, national universities were required to choose one of the three Assistance Frameworks. Nagoya University chose Framework 3, which aims to pursue world-class achievements in research, education, and social implementation of research results. Also in 2018, in recognition of its development of education and research activities, Nagoya University was selected as a Designated National University.
My term as president coincides with the start of the fourth period of these mid-term objectives and plans. Nagoya University and the Tokai National Higher Education and Research System will be involved in several important projects, such as the full-scale implementation of "Academic Central" initiatives, which provide a new platform for education; the construction of the Tokai Platform; and further promotion of the Digital University initiatives. Through implementing these plans, we will strive to become one of the world's leading research universities.
Over 80 years have passed since the founding of Nagoya University, and I sometimes worry that the University is losing the vitality of its early days, facing a less open atmosphere because of its proud history. So, I hope that, like Mount Liang, our university will also serve as a venue that brings together ambitious researchers from throughout Japan and abroad, to create innovations that have the potential to change the world.
During my presidency, I will devote myself to Nagoya University and cooperate with faculty members and students. I will also build closer partnerships with the Chancellor of the Tokai National Higher Education and Research System, Seiichi Matsuo, and President of Gifu University, Kazuhiro Yoshida, to enhance our mutual development.
I sincerely hope that we can continue to work together and support Nagoya University.
Naoshi Sugiyama
President, Nagoya University