Strategy for Education

1. Raise the quality of education.

Gifu University shows its commitment to raising the quality of education through:

・Employing a Faculty Development program along with a system for evaluation and reform in order to increase the quality of education.

・Securing and allocating funds for basic expenses to support faculty goals.

・Maintaining and improving the teaching environment.

・Offering career-oriented education.

・Strategizing entrance examination procedures to encourage the participation of high-achieving students.

・Fostering ambitious educational programs and thereby striving to win further and broader support from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) through its GP Programs.

Furthermore,

・Faculty members strive to give students the educational foundation to achieve their greatest aspirations and support their education through all teacher-student interactions.

・Each department is charged with organizing to best support students' education.

2. Cultivate students with broad perspectives and who think and act independently

Gifu University shows its commitment to the growth of students by:

・Underscoring the importance of interdisciplinary education and an understanding of nature, society, and humanity.

・Making clear the system of management and administrative duties regarding interdisciplinary education.

・Valuing and fostering the ability to think and present logically.

・Cultivating ethical responsibility and a deep understanding of people and nature through courses of study which include arts and literature.

・Supporting education which deepens the understanding of different cultures, and cultivating internationally-minded perspectives and insight.

・Including academic goals based on external standards such as the TOEIC, TOEFL, and Eiken tests, in order to verify acquisition of English language ability.

・Striving to instill habits of exercise, and conducting anti-smoking education as part of an educational plan for life-long health. Faculty members are to refrain from smoking and set examples for students.

3. Offer professional education at an acclaimed graduate school

Graduate programs are an integral part of Gifu University, offering students the opportunity to extend their education to the professional level. Gifu University shows its dedication to these programs through:

・Striving to offer truly interdisciplinary doctoral courses.

・Providing full-fledged, systematic graduate level curricula to train students who are qualified and able to answer to the demands of society.

・Offering courses in the United Graduate School of Agriculture Sciences and the United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, the content of which are to be reviewed in Period II (2010 onwards).

・Establishment of programs in association with Gifu Pharmaceutical University.

Furthermore,

・The Graduate School of Engineering and the Graduate School of Medicine diligently conduct self-assessments of doctoral courses and strive towards further enhancement.

・The Graduate School for Professionals in Education has been instituted by the Department of Education in 2008.

Strategy for Research

1. Strategically pursue and develop distinctive research.

・The core of research at Gifu University is in the areas of environmental and life sciences.

・At the center of environmental research is biological and engineering projects.

・Veterinary medicine, study of infectious diseases, and the search for new drugs are the main lines of research emphasized in the field of life sciences.

・Gifu University also pursues collaborative research with College.

In support of this research, Gifu University strives to:

・Prioritize support and distribution of resources for highly acclaimed and promising research.

・Continue development in areas that have been supported by the MEXT 21^st Century Center of Excellence Program.

2. Hold lofty goals and strive to conduct research on par with the world's best.

Members of Gifu University endeavor to:

・Foster productive, first-class research.

・Organize research centers which are visible and meaningful to the community outside the university.

・Reform current organizational structures to emphasize the importance of young researchers.

3. Secure funding for research.

Faculty members and researchers must be committed to:

・Working to thrive in competitive conditions.

・Applying for scientific research grants and endeavoring to gain research funding of ever increasing scale.

・Attempting to win funding by proactively applying to national programs including those not affiliated with MEXT.

・Collecting information on available external funds and arranging support for application for such funds.

4. Furnish an environment advantageous for research.

In support of a positive research environment, Gifu University is dedicated to:

・Maintaining a campus-wide system of support for research.

・Creating an overall plan for the provision and maintenance of research equipment. The plan should be strategic, long-sighted, and consider the needs of the entire university.

・Providing a research environment which encourages the talents of young researchers and graduate students.

Strategy for Contributing to Society

1. Contribute to industry.

Contributions to industry are an important part of overall contributions to society, and key to this strategy are:

・Development of new ideas within and responding to the current needs of industry.

・Contributions to the promotion and development of local industry through the Gifu University Collaborative Headquarters for Academia, Industry, and Government.

・Active participation of members of the staff and faculty in planning contributions to society, so that these contributions are made with respect to a range of viewpoints.

2. Contribute to local policy.

Gifu University and its members strive towards active involvement in the local community by:

・Showing concern for the views of local citizens, and contributing to sustainable development of the community.

・Participating in local administration and contributing to formation of local policy.

・Training and encouraging students to obtain the depth and breadth of views needed in local administration.

3. Contribute to community culture and education.

In support of community culture and education, Gifu University is devoted to:

・Cooperation with the local board of education and promotion of continuing education for current teachers.

・Participation in cultural activities and support of lifelong learning within the community.

・Opening university lectures, institutes, and facilities to local citizens.

・Conducting activities to support education at schools throughout the community.

Furthermore, the university hospital contributes to local healthcare by providing critical care, preventative care, and other advanced medical services.

Strategy for the Gifu University Hospital and the Gifu University Preparatory School

1. The Gifu University Hospital strives to support the health of local citizens.

The University Hospital is committed to:

・Offering sophisticated medical care and protecting the health of local residents.

・Forming a network of advanced and sophisticated medical care with other major hospitals in the region.

・Educating and training medical students in advanced medical technologies, in cooperation with the medical school.

2. The hospital director is entrusted with the management of the hospital's operations.

The role of hospital director is integral to the university because:

・The hospital is an important entity in the financial management of the university.

・The hospital operates on a budget which is independent of university funds. The hospital director is charged with

・Handling administrative matters of the hospital including the budget and human resources.

・Setting monetary targets, planning a budget of income and expenditures, and promoting active management, all with consideration for long-term development.

3. The Gifu University Veterinary Hospital (affiliated with the Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences) embraces an administrative mindset.

An administrative mindset is important for the University Veterinary Hospital as it works to:

・Fulfill its role as a chief hospital for advanced veterinary technology in the Chubu (central Japan) region.

・Conduct autonomous administration.

4. The affiliated primary school and junior high school (affiliated with the Faculty of Education) strive to serve as models for other schools.

Key points for the success of the schools include:

・Implementation of leading educational methods in cooperation with the Gifu University Faculty of Education.

・Construction of curriculums which will serve as models for classroom education.

・Participation of all teachers, in cooperation with parents, in an administrative organization that has the ability to act and effect changes.

Basic Strategy for Administration

1. Reliably execute Period I (2004-2009) plans and meet Period I goals on schedule.

The administration must create and adhere to a schedule, and is charged with

・Reliably executing Period I plans, meeting Period I goals on schedule, and reflecting the state of progress in organizational assessments.

・Striving to accomplish even higher goals and meet a more demanding schedule than the officially adopted plan.

・Formulating goals and plans for Period II (2010 onwards) based on the schedule of Period I (2004-2009).

2. Use evaluations advantageously in administration.

The administration strives to use evaluations advantageously by

・Evaluating a wide range of faculty activities.

・Applying the results of such evaluations to the university administration.

・Considering the demands of faculty members receiving high assessments.

・Encouraging reflection and improvement in the case of faculty members receiving poor assessments. In some cases, changes in position or professional duties may be necessary.

3. Conduct administration efficiently, promptly, and transparently.

For the benefit of all members of the University and the community, the administration must:

・Promptly convey and be ready and able to act on the will of the university president and board of directors.

・Reflect the voices of members of the university including faculty, researchers, and administration members.

・Be founded in the principles of transparency and public accessibility of information.

・Promote organization suited to university strategies and the training of capable personnel.

・Eliminate waste and conduct administration in an efficient and sensible manner.

・Keep committee meetings and assemblies to a minimum so that faculty members can focus on conducting research and education.

・Support the candid exchange of opinions within the administration.

・Enforce compliance with administrative resolutions.

・Manage information scrupulously and systematically.

4. Cope with strict economic conditions.

In the face of harsh economic reality, the administration must:

・Establish financial strategies in response to strict economic conditions such as annual decreases in government funding for universities and university hospitals of 1% and 2% respectively and a decrease in the salary budget of five percent in five years.

・Formulate strategies for the university's acquisition of external funding.

Further objectives include

・Prioritization of matters concerning education, research, and medical care, i.e. the fundamental objectives of the university, in the budget.

・Business-like management and disclosure of an independent financial report by the Gifu University Hospital.

5. Implement an effective gender equality action plan

・Implement a gender equality education program in order to create a gender equitable work and research environment.

・Provide support for workers to juggle both their personal and professional lives (teaching/research/work).

・Provide support for and promote the career advancement of female researchers.

・Promote enlightenment activities on gender equality among students, faculty, and staff.

・Promote gender equality in decision-making procedures related to university management.

・Promote partnerships with the central government, local governments, corporations, and other organizations.

6. Conduct environmentally sound administration.

Administration strives to reflect consideration of the environment through

・Actively encouraging education about the environment, as environmental sciences are one of the central themes of research at the university.

・Conservation of resources and elimination of waste in all tasks.

・Conservation energy in all administrative operations.

7. Raise public awareness and recognition of Gifu University.

The administration is committed to public relations and the public image of Gifu University through

・Working to increase visibility and recognition of Gifu University's merits in the contexts of both society and industry.

・Enhancing the reputation of Gifu University through the announcement of results and achievements of research and education.

・Improving distribution of information to students and faculty on campus, and sharing information with all members of the university.

Basic Globalization Strategies

1．Promote Globalization in Educational and Research Activities

・Revitalize educational and research activities through partnerships and collaborations with overseas universities.

・Encourage students to study abroad to cultivate their global perspectives.

・Promote collaborations among faculties to develop international joint research programs/projects.

2．Increase Support for International Students Studying at Gifu University

・Improve international student support system through collaborations among faculty and graduate schools.

・Disseminate Gifu University's educational and research activities through overseas offices.

・Support activities of international alumni.

3．Promote Globalization on Campus

・Hold various international events such as English Lounge, cross-cultural seminars for globalization of students, faculty and staff.

・Gather information on lectures delivered by foreign experts on and off campus, and notify students, faculties y and staff of such information.

4．Contribute to Local and International Communities

・Contribute to globalization of local communities through active exchanges between international students and the local communities.

・Facilitate exchanges between students, faculty and staff, and local communities through various events and activities held at the International House.

・Contribute to the international community in collaboration with overseas universities.

・Contribute to resolving various global issues through cooperation with developed and developing countries.