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Asahi University President, Katsuyuki Otomo

　　

– Our 51st year begins with new challenges and innovations –

　　

　I wish you all a very happy New Year and I look forward to working with you again this year.

　Founded in 1971 as Gifu Dental University, we later changed our name to Asahi University to reflect the addition of new faculties, and it is under this name that we have just celebrated our 50^thAnniversary. We will continue to commemorate our anniversary in 2022 with projects and other activities while also continuing our vigilance with COVID-19 precautions.

　Over the past 50 years we have continued to enrich the quality and purpose of our university. In the fiscal year 2020, the amount of subsidy for ordinary expenses for private universities amounted to 651,667,000 yen. Among the recipients of grants, Asahi University ranked 96th out of 577 universities in Japan and 1st in Gifu Prefecture. This subsidy is provided to private universities by the Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools of Japan with subsidies from the national government in order to (1) maintain and improve educational and research conditions, (2) reduce the financial burden on students, and (3) improve the efficiency of management. These results are awarded after a comprehensive evaluation of each university’s advanced research activities, development of distinctive, innovative and effective education, contribution to the local community, and efforts to develop global human resources.

　In the “Exceptional Universities of 2021,” an extra issue of Toyo Keizai published in May 2021, we were ranked 61st out of 576 universities in Japan and 1st among universities in Gifu Prefecture. The ranking of the top 300 schools is posted every year, and it is based on four indicators: (1) education and research capabilities, (2) employment conditions and opportunities, (3) financial wellbeing, and (4) internationalism. Asahi University was highly evaluated for its appropriate number of students in relation to its capacity, its fostering of top athletes, and the continuous mutual exchange of students and faculty members with overseas universities.

　On the other hand, we remain equally dedicated to our domestic responsibilities. In the October 2021 issue of “Nikkei Glocal,” the university was ranked 76th out of 514 universities in Japan and first among private universities in Gifu Prefecture in terms of activities contributing to the local community. Our activities in the five areas of (1) university organization and systems, (2) students and residents, (3) business and government, (4) the university as a place to work, and (5) SDGs and COVID-19 response were highly evaluated.

　With regard to vaccinations against the new coronavirus, we set up a vaccination site on July 2, 2021 in the university gymnasium and opened the door not only to students, faculty, staff and their families, but also to a wide range of people from the local community. So far 3,995 people have been vaccinated at our site. This was the fastest response of any university in the Tokai region, along with Mie University, and was highly praised by the media. Since then, we have also cooperated fully with companies and organizations around the prefecture, offering guidance during the application stage, as well as dispatching our medical staff to each vaccination site.

　The results of these external evaluations are a testament to the trust that we have earned from the national, prefectural, and municipal governments, as well as the local economy, as we have continued to work diligently in accordance with our founding spirit. I hope that this 51st year will be a step forward in further developing the strengths of our university, such as “excellent education” and “the provision of reliable medical care,” which are supported by four faculties, five departments, and three medical institutions.

　We look forward to your continued support and encouragement.