Building a World-Class Tokai Region
By leveraging the strengths of both universities, and sharing and integrating their advantages, Tokai National Higher Education and Research System will continue to take on challenges that could not be accomplished alone. In terms of research, THERS is enhancing collaboration with four research hubs focused on the fields of glycoscience research, aerospace research, healthcare information technology, and agricultural sciences, and has established Academic Central, a framework to aid in education. Furthermore, as the center for new regional and industrial development, THERS aims to play a core role in forming a model that generates a virtuous cycle of development for universities, industries, and regional revitalization in the Tokai area and in promoting regional structural reforms.
Tokai National Higher Education and Research System established
Fostering Highly Skilled Professionals and Developing “Glocally”
Gifu University was established by transitioning and integrating Gifu Prefectural Normal School, the Gifu Agricultural and Forestry College, and other educational institutions into a single organization, and the university originally consisted of undergraduate faculties for Arts and Sciences and Agriculture. Undergraduate faculties for Engineering and Medicine were established by transferring and merging the Prefectural University Faculty of Engineering and the Prefectural Medical College in 1952 and 1964, respectively. Gifu University became a national university corporation in 2004.
Producing world-class intellectual achievements in a free and open-minded academic culture
Nagoya University, which originated as a hospital and temporary medical school run by the Nagoya Domain, was the last of the so-called “imperial universities” established under the former Empire of Japan. In 1949, the university was reorganized under the new post-WWII education system with six undergraduate faculties. In 2018, Nagoya University was labeled a Designated National University Corporation for showing promise in developing world’s highest level of educational and research activities.
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Researchers, who serve as sources of knowledge through their research findings at both universities, have been achieving world-class research results through their open-minded, free thinking. As a “central site for knowledge” both regionally and in the world, THERS aims to provide the region with the world’s highest level of knowledge. THERS works to both qualitatively and quantitatively expand distinctive and cutting-edge hubs of education and research, and to further expand the world’s most advanced educational and research fields through synergistic effects between the two universities in order to become a center for the creation of intellectual achievements.
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In terms of people & education, by providing internationally-compatible, high-quality education, we work to foster human resources capable of leading the next generation and operating in the Tokai region and beyond. As digital transformation (DX) and globalization continue to progress, conventional education focused on acquiring knowledge and experience has decreased in relative value, and the ability to create new value is in demand. Against this backdrop, THERS provides the world and regional communities with human resources capable of addressing Social Contribution through the creation of new value under the shared educational philosophy of "creating the future together with courage."
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In addition to contributing to further developing a diverse range of industrial sectors in which the Tokai region excels, including manufacturing, agriculture, and forestry, as well as to solving the issues faced by these sectors, THERS also aims to solve Social Contribution in the region and achieve the targets set forth as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which cover medical care, welfare, education, mobility, energy, disaster mitigation, and other issues. In the course of obtaining certification as a Global Hub City for the development of startup ventures, which are essential in the creation of new industries, THERS systematically works in collaboration with regional financial and industrial world, Nagoya City, and Aichi Prefecture.
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Our Focus
As a system of one corporation and multiple universities, Tokai National Higher Education and Research System is engaged in a wide range of activities and efforts to create value by enabling our universities to share their abundant resources and collaborate with each other. This section highlights some of the challenges we are addressing to build new models to create a virtuous cycle of development for our universities, industries, and communities. These efforts are made within six approaches: Research, Education, International, Diversity, Medical Care, and Social Contribution.
