Gifu University hosted a "Meeting with Senior High School Principals 2023" on Monday, August 7, 2023. Started in 2006, this annual meeting serves as an important venue for opinion-exchange and promotion of mutual understanding between Gifu University and senior high schools in Gifu Prefecture.

Seventeen principals represented by Mr. ISHIDA Tatsuya, Chairperson of the Gifu Prefecture Senior High School Principal Association (a principal of Gifu Senior High School) attended the meeting. Seventeen university board members including President YOSHIDA Kazuhiro, Vice President YAMADA Toshihiro (Academic Affairs and Student Support, also servs as Director-General of the Organization for Promotion of Higher Education and Student Support (ORPHESS)), and Vice President SUGIYAMA Makoto (General Manager) (Evaluation, General Affairs, Public Relations and Fund) welcomed the principals on campus.

President Yoshida first spoke about the current status and policies of the Tokai National Higher Education and Research System (THERS) and Gifu University. He touched on major changes and benefits to GU students and the achievements made in three years after the launch of THERS in April 2020. This was followed by a speech by two speakers on the theme of "current and future challenges of senior high school-university alliance." First, Mr. ISHIGAMI Masayuki, a principal of Gizan High School spoke about the case of examples of a senior high school-university alliance at Gizan Senior High School. Next, Mr. Ishida spoke about the general agenda for Gifu Prefecture.

After their speeches, with Mr. MATSUNAGA Yosuke (Director of the Admission Center, ORPHESS) as a moderator, a report session started. GU students spoke about what they are studying at GU and their future careers. The members of the Admission PR and Inspection Research Committee at GU reported unique approaches to education, senior high school-university alliance activities and partnership with local communities promoted by individual faculties and the School of Social System Management. High expectations were expressed towards Gifu University by the association members, and active opinion exchange continued for some time.

After the meeting, the members were invited to join a campus tour of the Institute for Glyco-core Research (iGCORE). They listened to a summary of ongoing glycan research from the staff, observed the cutting-edge research equipment. During their inspection, the members asked many questions to the staff and had the opportunity to be exposed to the frontline of glycan research.

Gifu University continues to hold opinion exchange meetings with senior high schools in Gifu Prefecture to develop mutual understanding and engage in a wide range of activities for stronger partnership between the university and senior high schools.