Placing Information Education at the Core and Aiming for New Practical Learning in the Era of VUCA^※

This year is the third year of the school’s second five-year plan, and we will continue our efforts with the aim of improving the quality of our education, research, and management infrastructure, the priority policy of the entire school.

In particular, as part of the university's key policy of “developing attractive faculties and departments,” the school plans to open a a new faculty, the Faculty of Health Information Studies (tentative name, currently in the planning stages) in April 2025 following the opening of the Faculty of Architecture and Design in April 2024. In order to live a rich and healthy life in the era of 100-year lifespans, we will respond to the needs of a super-aging society by applying knowledge and technology in medical science, engineering, and sports science based on the information technology at which our university excels. We plan to establish three majors: a “Medical Engineering major” to nurture clinical engineers and medical equipment development engineers with strong AI and ICT skills, a “Physical Therapy major” to nurture physical therapists who can provide effective, scientific evidence-based physical therapy using ICT and a “Sports Science major” that will equip students with the skills to effectively provide exercise and sports using ICT, and in doing so will nurture human resources who will support the health of people and society through the combined strengths of engineering, medicine, and sports.

Our educational philosophy is practical education that fosters human qualities and technological capabilities and enables students to lead their own lives. We are constantly reviewing our education and research in line with the needs of society, and continually upgrading the content of our “practical studies” with the keywords “ICT and specialized education,” “interdisciplinary exchange,” and “manufacturing” in mind, aiming to nurture human resources that can survive in these uncertain times.

We will also strengthen our research capabilities and enhance our graduate schools. We will seek to establish a robust virtuous cycle model for society and universities that identifies research issues from and returns those results to society.

In addition, we will focus on promoting internationalization and diversification. Having meetings in a foreign language, having non-Japanese colleagues, and going on business trips or assignments to other countries has become commonplace in society, and language skills and cross-cultural understanding are more in demand. We nurture practical international knowledge and an international sensibility through active overseas study programs and accepting international students.

With the declining birthrate and aging population, it is the mission of higher education institutions to nurture social leaders. Osaka Electro-Communication University aims to be a useful university that continues to change in response to its social mission and produces human resources who can respond to changes in society. We are committed to managing the university with a sense of mission, and we ask for your continued support.

Kuninari Shiota,President

VUCA...state of uncertainty and difficulty in predicting the future