President Kiyoshi Morita’s vision for Okayama University: The global research and education hub at the heart of Japan.

Kiyoshi Morita was appointed the president of Okayama University in April 2011. “After graduating from Okayama University Medical School I trained to be an anesthetist, “says Morita. “Later in my career I was the director of the Okayama University Hospital. My experience to date as a medical doctor, a research scientist, and six years as hospital director are proving to be important assets in managing the university.”

Okayama University is one of the largest comprehensive universities in Japan with 1,300 faculty and 14,000 students. “Our roots go back to the Medical Training Place sponsored by the Lord of Okayama and established in 1870,” explains Morita. “Now, we offer courses in areas ranging from medicine and pharmacy to humanities and physical sciences. We are a true comprehensive university located in the heart of Japan approximately 3 hours west of Tokyo by Shinkansen.”

President Morita has a clear vision for the future of Okayama University. “I would like to create a globally accessible research and educational hub based on a ‘university town’,” says Morita. “Realizing this will necessitate strong collaboration between the university, the city of Okayama, and surrounding regions.”

“I want Okayama University to be a hub for knowledge-creation by being the center for medical services, nurturing skilled manpower and contributing to the prosperity of Okayama and of course global society,” says Morita.

President Morita has launched a wide range of initiatives to achieve these goals. These include cultivating independently thinking, highly motivated individuals based on interdisciplinary research and education programs offered by Okayama University’s ‘integrated graduate school system’, and the promotion of translational medical research at the University Hospital.

“I want to take advantage of the location, history and natural beauty of Okayama and its surroundings to create a truly international university,” says Morita.

Okayama University is located in one of the safest regions in Japan, without any significant natural disasters in living memory. Also the city of Okayama is famous for the beautiful surroundings such as the cultural heritage gardens of Korakuen, mild climate, ease of access, and low cost of living.

“I look forward to welcoming students, researchers, and educators to Okayama University—the global research and education hub at the heart of Japan.”

Further information
Okayama University website: http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/index_e.html
Location: http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/en/tp/access/location.html