Nagoya University President Seiichi Matsuo has been selected as one of the presidents of the 10 world universities that have made advanced efforts to promote gender equality, according to an announcement of UN Women — the United Nations entity engaged in gender equality and women’s empowerment — on May 5, 2015.
He has been selected under the IMPACT 10x10x10 program — a part of UN Women’s HeForShe movement launched in fall 2014. Ten leaders from each of governments, corporations and universities around the world have been selected to join the program, under the recognition that men’s involvement and cooperation are essential in achieving gender equality. Presidents of other universities selected include those of the University of Hong Kong, the University of Leicester in the UK, and the University of Waterloo in Canada.
Nagoya University has been actively engaged in developing women leaders and young female researchers who can play a leading role in the world, by preparing nursery schools and an after-school childcare center on campus ahead of other universities in Japan, as well as by establishing the Office for Gender Equality.
President Matsuo said, "As a platform for promoting gender equality, Nagoya University aims to expand the movement of gender equality to other universities and corporations as well." The University also intends to establish the Center for Gender Equality in 2018 and to raise the percentage of women faculty members from the current 15.9 percent to 20 percent by 2020.
For further details, please see the following UN Women website
