New Year's Greetings
New Year's Greeting for 2026
Happy New Year, everyone. I sincerely hope that 2026 will be a wonderful year filled with hope. I look forward to your continued support this year.
医学部附属病院関係の皆様におかれては、年末年始も患者様に対して普段と変わりなくご対応いただいたこと、皆様のおかげで県民の安全安心が保たれていることに心より敬意を表するとともに、本年も県民の命を守る砦として変わらぬご尽力いただきますようよろしくお願い申し上げます。
This year is the Year of the Fire Horse, and it is said to be a powerful year in which energy reaches its peak, driving things forward with vigor and bringing them to fruition. Our university, too, is determined to move forward at full speed.
Before sharing my New Year’s resolutions, I’d like to take a moment to look back on 2025 and summarize the year.
1. 75th Anniversary Commemorative Projects
The Kochi University Alumni Association currently has over 11,000 members. To further expand the association, we have opened an Alumni Lounge on campus as a place for students and alumni to gather and interact, and have installed a “President’s Treat Vending Machine” there. In addition, various initiatives are underway, including the launch of collaborations with annual events such as the “Muroto Kanpo” walk.
2. Toward Becoming a Regional Hub and Distinctive Research University
We submitted a proposal for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s “Project to Strengthen Regional Core and Distinctive Research Universities.” Unfortunately, our proposal was not selected; however, the process gave rise to reform proposals for our university’s research organizations. We are currently making every effort to ensure a smooth launch of our new research organization, “i³K” (commonly known as “i³K”; official name: Kochi University Innovation & Social Impact Initiative), starting this April.
3. Organizational Reform Through the Introduction of a Core Faculty System
３月末を以て従来の学系・部門を廃止予定であり、既に基幹教員制度を導入している学部組織の所属体制の構築と、事務組織を含めた組織再編が進捗しています。
4. A Strategy for Integrating Local and Global Elements
段階的に概算要求を進めるべく、昨年文部科学省にグローカルな組織運営について提案いたしました。ローカルとグローバルの融合路線を推進するため、次世代地域創造センターとグローバル教育支援センターの改組に向け準備を進めています。
教育についても、特に地域協働学部において、ローカルとグローバルを融合した新たな教育メニューについて議論し準備をしております。
In addition, with the aim of promoting the internationalization of the campus and fostering international diversity, we are making progress on various initiatives, including revising some of the admission requirements for international students and constructing student housing with a view to accommodating international students.
5. Other (Status of Operating Subsidies, etc.)
We have repeatedly appealed to the national government and local government leaders regarding the operational grants for national university corporations, emphasizing the significant challenges we face, including the various impacts of rising prices and the weak yen. As a result, an increase in these operational grants has now been secured through the supplementary budget.
With this summary in mind, I would like to share my New Year’s resolutions.
1. Striving to Create an Open and Transparent University
We will further enhance our communication with students and carefully consider their various opinions and requests, including those regarding the Alumni Association Lounge and the Giving Campaign. As a concrete example of our improvement efforts, we plan to enhance students’ living spaces by combining the renovation of existing dormitories with the construction of new student housing facilities.
We will also promote communication among faculty and staff by utilizing the Alumni Association Lounge and making events such as the Faculty and Staff Sports Day a regular tradition.
従前より継続しているSRUキャラバンは本年も引き続き実施いたします。各学部や附属病院、附属学校園、センター施設の視察を強化し、現地での意見交換を通じて改善点を把握し必要な措置を講じてまいります。
2. Toward Strengthening Research Capabilities
We are launching a new research organization, "i³K," with the aim of establishing a special research zone. To this end, we plan to launch the Kochi University Innovation Center—which will serve as the operational arm of this organization—by April. Through the creation of this environment, we hope that researchers will be able to translate their research findings into practical applications for society.
We will also establish a Social Impact Hub (a resident-based education and research hub) modeled after the “Co-creation Hub Support Program (COI-NEXT)” promoted by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). We are currently working to transition from the “incubation phase” to the “full-scale phase” of this program, and through this initiative, we aim to create a research and education hub in Shimanto City and further foster the growth of local industrial clusters.
Furthermore, to enhance the visibility of our university’s research capabilities, we are launching a new initiative called “Kochi Open Innovation Days.” Through events such as the grand opening of the Fisheries and Agricultural Sciences Co-creation Facility on the Monobe Campus and the i³K Kickoff Symposium, we aim to attract investment in our university’s research opportunities and collaborative projects as a regional core university with distinctive research strengths, while also fostering interaction within the research community on campus.
3. Educational Reforms
学系・部門の廃止に伴う新たな体制が４月からスタートします。現在学系・部門が担っている役割が学部に移ることで学部長の負担が増す点を勘案し、副学部長を２名から３名へ変更し、学部長をサポートしていただく体制へ変更したいと考えております。なお、各学部長とは定期的に１on１ミーティングを実施することで、学部運営の現状と課題、ひいては大学全体の課題についても徹底的に意思疎通を図っていきます。
学部・大学院の改組については、地域協働学部では新学科の立ち上げや、従来の地域協働学科の中にグローバルの視点を加えたグローカルコースの設置を、農林海洋科学専攻ではフードビジネスコースの新設に向けて検討を進めております。
Furthermore, we intend to refine our plans for future budget requests with a view to establishing an organization responsible for promoting continuing education, international language education, and inter-university educational partnerships.
4. Management of the University as an Organization
As I mentioned earlier, while there have been changes in the government’s stance regarding operational grants, I believe we must secure a significant increase in these funds. At the same time, self-reliance is essential for the university’s survival. To increase external funding, we will reach out to a wider range of stakeholders than ever before to explain our initiatives and solicit donations for education and research.Furthermore, regarding assets that can be monetized—including underutilized facilities on campus—we intend to develop concrete business plans by drawing on the expertise of private companies and other entities.
In addition, we will proceed with the reorganization of administrative departments and various centers over the next fiscal year, incorporating the results of the internal DX training conducted last year under the leadership of the DX Strategy Headquarters.
5. Other
The fourth phase of our mid-term goals and plan will come to a close in fiscal year 2027. In preparation for the upcoming fifth phase, we are currently refining the “Kochi University Grand Design 2040” through our newly established Management Strategy Council, drawing on the expertise of various specialists.We will create opportunities for all members of the university community to provide feedback on the draft formulated by this council, and we will finalize the plan by carefully considering the input we receive. Furthermore, we intend to work backward from the ideal future envisioned in Grand Design 2040 to develop an action plan for the six-year period of the fifth phase, beginning in fiscal year 2028.In this sense, I believe Grand Design 2040 will serve as a major touchstone for building, together with all members of the university community, the vision of what we want Kochi University to be in the future and the ideal form the university should take. Furthermore, by communicating this vision proactively, we aim to spread our aspirations to as many people as possible and foster a shared understanding that “this is indeed the future.” It is this kind of university we aspire to create.
This year will be another important one, so I look forward to working alongside all of you as we move forward into the future.
I would like to begin this New Year’s message by extending my heartfelt wishes for your health and happiness. I look forward to your continued support this year.
January 5, 2026
President Hiroyuki Uchida