Kouichi Ota, Director General for Student Affairs
Eleven students enrolled in the doctoral program, established in April this year -- 240 for undergraduate programs and 57 for master programs, making a total of 308 newly enrolled students.
The university, as its Japanese characters suggest, is a place of study, a place of learning; a place of learning incomparable to the likes of high schools and junior high schools. Though this might be obvious, there had been a long-standing situation in Japanese universities prior to the establishment of this university. Students never seemed to study as hard at universities as they did when trying to get into university. The instant they were released from ``exam" study they ended up evading all study whatsoever!
Faculty members also seem to have devoted themselves to esoteric study and failed to attract students to practical studies.
The facilities and equipment at the University of Aizu are already first-rate. The University is striving to achieve first-rate research. I would like the students also to do their best to be first-rate students irrespective of their academic past and percentiles.