New Year's Greeting (January, 1st 2020)

Happy New Year from Kyushu University. On behalf of the university, I hope that this new year finds you in good health as we enter the second year of the Reiwa era.

I would like to begin by looking back on the major political, economic, and societal events of 2019. Let’s first look outside of Japan. In February, the leaders of the United States and North Korea met in Vietnam for the North Korea–United States Hanoi Summit. April saw a large fire break out at Notre Dame Cathedral, as well as a meeting between the leaders of Russia and North Korea. In June, a sitting United States president stepped into North Korea for the first time. July saw Boris Johnson become British Prime Minister amid worsening relations between Japan and South Korea. August saw continued violent protests in Hong Kong. In October, the Hong Kong government formally withdrew the extradition bill that sparked the protests, and the UK voted to postpone its exit from the EU. In November, the United States passed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. December saw the 2019 United Kingdom general election and the China–Japan–South Korea trilateral summit held in Beijing.

Here in Japan, February saw the Hayabusa2 mission successfully touch down on the Ryugu asteroid. In March, Ichiro Suzuki retired from professional baseball. In April, it was announced that the name of the new imperial era would be "Reiwa." The Reiwa era began in May with the ascension of Emperor Naruhito. In June, the fourteenth meeting of the G20 summit took place in Osaka. In July, the Mausoleum of Emperor Nintoku was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Hayabusa2 mission made its second successful landing on the Ryugu asteroid. August saw heavy rainfall across northern Kyushu. In September, Typhoon No.15 struck the Greater Tokyo Area. October saw the rise of the consumption tax from 8% to 10% as Typhoon No.19 brought record rainfalls to Chiba and Nagano prefectures, and fire destroyed Shuri Castle in Okinawa. In November, plans for the introduction of private-sector English tests for a new unified university entrance examination system were postponed. And In December, revised traffic safety laws went into effect that toughen penalties for using a mobile phone while driving.

I would also like to share Kyushu University’s year in review amid such tumultuous times at home and abroad as 2019 proved to be a historic year for Kyushu University. In January, we held Kyushu University Energy Week 2019. February saw the opening of Ito Clinic and events to commemorate the closure of Hakozaki Campus. In March, Kyushu University came in 4th in the Times Higher Education Japan University Rankings 2019. April saw the launch of a new on-demand transport system, aimo, as well as a cherry blossom-planting ceremony and the opening of the Research Institute of Advanced Electric Propulsion Aircrafts. In May, University Foundation Day celebrations were held, and we concluded an academic exchange agreement with Taipei Medical University. In June, we launched our Ankara Office in Turkey and were ranked first in a survey by Nikkei on university image according to corporate HR managers. July saw ceremonies celebrating our registration with the Ministry of the Environment as a regional center for education for sustainable development, the kick-off of the Seven Universities Athletic Meet, and the kick-off symposium of the Kyushu University Institute for Asia and Oceanian Studies. In August, we opened the Pan-Omics Data Driven Innovation Research Center and concluded a strategic academic exchange agreement with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Furthermore, two Kyushu University startups were honored at the Award for Academic Startups presented by the Japan Science and Technology Agency.

In September, we participated in the Kyushu-Okinawa Island Support for Female Researchers Symposium. In October, Kyushu University visiting professor Akira Yoshino received the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. We also held our Academic Festival 2019, where we announced the university’s new slogan, and celebrated the 100th anniversary of the School of Agriculture. In November, we unveiled Ficco2007, a new piece of art for Ito Campus by Jun Ashida Award recipient Yoichiro Kawaguchi. We also hosted QS-APPLE 2019 and mourned the passing of Dr. Mitsutoshi Nakano, a professor emeritus at Kyushu University and Person of Cultural Merit. In December, we received the sad news that Dr. Tetsu Nakamura, University Professor of the Institute for Advanced Study, had been assassinated in Afghanistan. That same month the I2CNER 10th Anniversary Symposium was held. Takehiko Sasazuki, University Professor of Institute for Advanced Study, was chosen as a member of the Japan Academy. 5 of the 25 Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Prize recipients, and 2 of the 10 early-career researchers chosen for the NISTEP Selection (The Researchers with Nice Step), were from Kyushu University.

2020 is also shaping up to be an exciting year for Kyushu University. In January, we will hold Kyushu University Energy Week 2020. In March, Spring Commencement will be held, followed by the Spring Entrance Ceremony in April. May will see University Foundation Day celebrations, and a general meeting of the CEO Club will be held here in Fukuoka. In June, we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Robert T. Huang Entrepreneurship Center of Kyushu University (QREC). In July, the 2020 Summer Olympics will be held in Tokyo, followed by the Autumn Commencement in September. In October, the university will transition to new leadership, and we will hold the Autumn entrance ceremony and the Academic Festival 2020. In November, we will hold the Kyudai Festival, and a general meeting of the CEO Club will be held in Tokyo.

When I became president in 2014, I proposed the Kyushu University Action Plan 2015–2020 to catapult Kyushu University into the top 100 universities in the world:
1. Conducting research at the highest global standard and encouraging innovation
2. Fostering global talent
3. Contributing to the local and international communities through advanced medical care
4. Developing an enhanced campus that students, staff, and faculty members can be proud of
5. Organizational reform
6. A university that develops in tandem with society

Let me share some of the ways we are working towards these goals. In regards to organizational reform and fostering global talent, if we wish to be counted among the top 100 universities in the world as an international institution renowned for its high academic and research standards, we must further raise the bar of excellence in education and research. The key to accomplishing this lies in the acquisition and instruction of exceptional individuals.

That is why we are implementing the Kyushu University Renaissance Project, a comprehensive, sustainable human resource development strategy that links undergraduate education, graduate programs, and researcher training to other existing projects that connect high school students with the university. Our undergraduate education is making strides in fostering global talent through initiatives like our School of Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation, our active learning programs, and our KIKAN education program, which unites the humanities and sciences. As for graduate education, we have launched the da Vinci Program, which offers several flexible, interdisciplinary-focused graduate degrees.

In the da Vinci Program, students study in interdisciplinary groups comprised of multiple graduate schools, which allows them to explore across a number of fields in addition to their own specializations. The program will create new areas of study and train professionals who are able to address social challenges spanning multiple disciplines.

In research, we have launched SENTAN-Q, a program that will employ 200 early-career, female, and international researchers to lead the next generation of research at Kyushu University. The program will also serve as a platform for providing further opportunities for outstanding female and early-career researchers.

The sixth step of our action plan describes Kyushu University as "a university that develops in tandem with society," and we are working to strengthen ties between the university, alumni associations, and the general public.

The Academic Festival, which we have held yearly since 2016, is an opportunity for us to showcase our efforts and initiatives to alumni, the general public, and high school students who may be considering studying at Kyushu University. It is also when we are able to connect with Kyushu University alumni associations both within Japan and from abroad, who understand the goals and initiatives of the university and its administration. Alumni associations have been established in several countries that include Taiwan, China, Korea, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Thanks to these efforts, we have seen an increase in support from the ever-growing number of graduates proud to call themselves "Kyudai Alumni." As of December 2019, the total number of alumni association members has reached 7,250, with 1,256 of those members making recurring donations to the university, up from 101 recurring givers in 2014. In 2018 we also established the CEO Club for Kyushu University graduates who have gone on to top leadership positions at their companies. We invite each and every alumnus to participate in this Kyudai Network and continue to show their support for Kyushu University.

During last year's Academic Festival, we announced a new slogan for Kyushu University:

Leap into the Next

I have high hopes for Kyushu University as we enter this new era, and I have set my sights on contributing to society and world peace through our educational initiatives at our Ito, Hospital, Ohashi and Chikushi campuses. Through these initiatives, we aim to instruct the next generation of world leaders and share with the world research findings that have the power to transform our future.

My term as president will end this September. Still, I plan to work with current leadership to carry out current action plans and initiatives to allow for a smooth transition for the next administration. I would like to close by wishing everyone a Happy New Year.

Chiharu Kubo
President, Kyushu University
January 1, 2020