Office of the President

Happy New Year from Kyushu University.

At the end of last year, a department head resigned due to misconduct. I sincerely apologize for the concern this caused to all stakeholders. We take this matter with the utmost seriousness and remain committed to preventing any recurrence and to restoring trust.

In 2021, we launched Kyushu University VISION 2030 and established structures and organizations that foster interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing shared challenges. Building on this foundation, we focused on developing solutions to social issues and driving innovation in areas that reflect the university’s strengths—decarbonization, medicine and health, and environment and food. This year marks the fifth year of these efforts.

At Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, the “DAC‑U” (Direct Air Capture and Utilization) device was permanently displayed at the Carbon Recycle Factory, “RITE Future Forest.” The DAC‑U utilized a nano‑separation membrane developed through Kyushu University’s decarbonization research to capture CO₂ directly from the air and recycle it into energy and other resources. The reservation-based guided tours proved highly popular, and this cutting-edge technology attracted significant attention as an innovative approach to tackling global warming. As a result, the “RITE Future Forest” received the first EXPO INNOVATION AWARD, the Expo Special Recognition Award for Cross-Sectoral Enlightenment. We are delighted by the achievements of Distinguished Professor Shigenori Fujikawa and his team.

Furthermore, Chihaya Adachi, Distinguished Professor at the Faculty of Engineering, received the 2025 Leo Esaki Prize. He has long pursued new materials and devices using organic electroluminescence. He successfully translated his basic research into societal impact by founding the startup Kyulux Inc. This award honors his years of dedicated effort and serves as a source of great pride for all of us.

In addition, a student team from the Graduate School of Information Science and Electrical Engineering developed REGIS, an app that supports volunteer fire departments—the backbone of community disaster preparedness. Itoshima City has launched full‑scale operation of REGIS, which has been warmly welcomed by members of the volunteer fire department. The application addresses everyday challenges faced by volunteer firefighters, such as member shortages and analog communication methods. Beyond its practical value, the work has been published as a research paper and has earned academic recognition. I express my sincere respect to the students who have brought our vision to life by driving social change through integrative knowledge.

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