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Message from the Dean

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UEMATSU, Yoshihiko
Dean, Faculty of Engineering

 First, "Engineering" is a general term for "applied science and technology for improving productivity by applying basic science to industrial production". In other words, engineering is closely related to the industrial products including commodities that you see and handle every day. Therefore, it can be said that engineering is an academic field that must be leaned imagining the output of industrial products. Gifu University's philosophy is to produce human resources who will "learn, explore, and contribute", and it also aims to be a "core base for regional revitalization". So, what is the relationship between the Faculty of Engineering and this philosophy?

 "Learning", "学" in Japanese character, which is at the beginning of the philosophy, is the most important part for students. Usually, the first to third years are mainly classroom lectures, and in the fourth year, students shift to a period of hands-on experiments to write their graduation thesis and, if they advance to further education, their master's thesis. In other words, the period from 1st to 3rd year is like a training period until you can reach research activities from the 4th year onwards. In the engineering curriculum, there are many subjects whose names you had never heard in high schools. All the lectures organized in each department and each course have important meanings, and they are indispensable contents when you'll become an engineer or a researcher and create industrial products in the future. Each subject is linked to an actual industrial product. If you are not sure what kind of "engineering product" is related to the lecture you are taking, read the information on the web syllabus carefully, or ask the professor directly. Rather than just taking classes vaguely, if you go to class while imagining the relationship between classes and industrial products, you can be able to learn more deeply. Another important thing in learning is that you are "independently thinking individuals". You should have a dream for the future when you are in your high school. However, studying in high school should have been mainly focusing on passing the university entrance examination. For that reason, "passive feeling" occurs in your mind. But studying at university is different. In university lectures, you have to design your own subjects to some extent. Faculty members can give advice on the design, but the final decision is yours. At that time, it will be important for you to envision what kind of engineer or researcher you want to become in the future, and to work on your studies "independently".

 Next, the word of "explore", "究" in Japanese character, in our philosophy, it means "to clarify things to the fullest extent". It also means research activities that faculty members and students work together to conduct world-class research. For students, this means being assigned to a laboratory and actually working on your graduation thesis and subsequent master's thesis. The research of the Faculty of Engineering will surely be fruitful if you carry out the research while imagining how the results will be useful in the real world and what kind of industrial products they will be used for.

 Finally, I would like to talk about "contribution", "貢献" in Japanese character. Since Gifu University is a "core base for regional revitalization", I hope that your knowledge acquired in the Faculty of Engineering will be used for the development of the Tokai region. Even if you work in a foreign country, there must be something you can do to contribute to Gifu and Tokai region, where you spent your university life. Please keep that in mind.
With those in mind, the Faculty of Engineering at Gifu University aims to educate students, and to promote research activities and regional community contribution activities together with students and faculty members.