On September 1 the university appointed Toru Numaguchi, Shuichi Furuya, Norito Sato, and Eri Uneyama as University Research Administrators (URA) to take a major and direct role in upgrading and improving our operational and educational research capabilities. President Kiyoshi Morita presented them with their letters of appointment and gave them instructions in his office to put their activities into motion.
In our university, URAs are placed directly under the leadership of our president, Mr. Morita (their office is in the main building). The URAs are valuable resources for research, working in concert with Mr. Shinichi Yamamoto, the Executive Director (Research).
They will be of great benefit in the running of our university, fulfilling numerous vital missions alongside our executive officers (such as the president and directors) like determining research policy proposals and global research information, proposing large research projects, aiding fund raising for research, and helping to promote university reform aimed at becoming a true "research university."
A symposium was held on September 21 to commemorate their appointment, with a debate being held on the research strategy of Okayama University and URA activities.

Photo: President Morita (front row left), Mr. Yamamoto (from back row left), Mr. Sato, Mr. Numaguchi, Mr. Furuya and Ms. Uneyama