Creating a Post-Corona World

Asahi University President, Katsuyuki Otomo

　I wish you all a very happy New Year, and I would like to thank you all for your continued support as we begin our journey into 2024, the year of the dragon.

　Looking back on last year, global relations were tested once again as the conflict in Ukraine continued, and a new conflict arose between Israel and the Islamic organization Hamas in the Palestinian region of Gaza. Amid these global tensions, Asahi university has stayed true to its founding spirit and its dedication to realizing a future society where individuals have the universal intelligence and international understanding needed to live peacefully and thrive as one global community. Our five evacuated students from Ukraine continue to do well in Japan, and we thank them for sharing their knowledge, culture and values with our students. Asahi University has also welcomed students from Afghanistan who sought refuge for political reasons. I pray for an immediate ceasefire in all war-torn areas and I pray for a lasting world peace.

　Despite the severe economic conditions in our country, such as soaring international energy prices, high commodity prices, and the continuing depreciation of the yen, Asahi University is determined to further reduce the tuition fees for students entering in April 2024, for the sake of supporting the dreams of young people who aspire to become dentists and nurses.

　As a higher education institution, it goes without saying that Asahi University will continue to provide “high quality education” to students who select Asahi University. As a testament to our excellent educational achievements, the School of Dentistry, which is celebrating its 53rd year since its establishment, attained an 86% pass rate for new graduates in the 116th national dental examination, announced in March, 2023, and 25 graduates also successfully passed the exam. We are particularly proud of this achievement given the fact that the difficulty level of the national dental examination has been increasing in recent years, with the total number of successful applicants hovering around 2,000. By working closely with each student to overcome individual weaknesses, Asahi University has achieved the third highest number of students passing the national dental examination in Japan over the past six years (2017-2022), with 680 students passing the exam, following Tokyo Dental College (766) and Osaka Dental University (698), which ranked first and second, respectively. In addition, our percentage of students who passed the national exam within 6 years without repeating a grade after enrolling, is the third highest among the 17 private dental universities and colleges, following Tokyo Dental College and Showa University. We are committed to achieving even greater success through the continuous improvement of our teaching methods.

　This year we continue upon the path that returns to our educational roots and strive for comprehensive and attentive education. Of course, we will also continue contributing positively and responsibly to society through our medical activities, and together with all of you, let us create an ever better post-corona world.