Farewell message from President Yoshinao Mishima

Five and a half years have passed since I assumed office as president of Tokyo Tech in October 2012. Throughout this period, the management team has focused on enhancing the Institute through various education, research, governance, and international initiatives. Many of these improvements have materialized because of Tokyo Tech's inimitable environment and the collaborative efforts of our unique faculty and staff members. I have no doubt that, with the transition to new leadership in April, this unity will continue to propel the Institute toward new horizons.

I entered Tokyo Tech as a student in 1969, one year before admissions for academic groups began. In my second year, I joined the Department of Metallurgical Engineering in the School of Engineering, and then spent the next six years completing my bachelor's and master's degrees. During the second summer of my master's program, I decided I wanted to continue with doctoral studies at the University of California, Berkeley. I was accepted as a PhD student in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and my studies abroad began in April 1975. I had heard that the process of completing courses and acquiring credits in the US was tough. In my first 10-week semester, I only took two 4-credit courses. Within the first year, however, as I grew accustomed to the new environment and life began to take shape, I was able to focus fully on my research. It took three years and nine months to earn my degree, after which I spent two more years in the US as a postdoctoral fellow. Looking back, these intensive years had a massive impact on my thinking as a faculty member upon my return to Tokyo Tech. They helped me realize that the accumulated experiences and tireless efforts of faculty members-their enthusiastic provision of lectures, the hard work put into creating well-crafted practical training courses, seemingly endless nights completing a variety of tasks and reports-are all indispensable components that contribute greatly to the growth of our students.

At Tokyo Tech, students are ready to take on any challenge proactively. It is important for faculty members to clarify the requirements for each course based on a systematic curriculum, to utilize a variety of teaching methods when transferring these skills and knowledge, and to instill in students a true sense of accomplishment as they complete these requirements. With cutting-edge research supporting teaching and a liberal arts program enriching the lives of all students, I am confident that Tokyo Tech will continue achieving its goal of maximizing the potential of every student from the moment they set foot in the Institute to the day they spread their wings on the world stage.

Yoshinao Mishima
President, Tokyo Tech