Sensing the Speed of ``Change"

Tetsuhiko Ikegami, President

Many people say that they gladly accept ``change." In spite of this, why is it that they are slow to change? With the exception of those who are headed towards disaster, I think this has to do with the difference in our ``perception of speed." If you drive, you would undoubtedly have experienced how undependable this sense of speed is. Perception is nurtured through information from across the world, discussions with colleagues, and self-improvement.

When the School of Computer Science and Engineering was started eight years ago, the University of Aizu was a leader in Japan. But where does the University stand now? If we are not irritated with the slow pace of progress, we need to recalibrate our speed meter and look again. Newspapers, magazines, television programs, and job search magazines are all ``yelling" that information technology (IT) will be the most important tool in the new millennium. And the focus of information technology is now shifting from contents and e-commerce to mobile commerce, or m-commerce.

In order to keep pace with this rapid ``speed" of change, we need considerable efforts from the faculty, we need to hear what you, as students, want from this University, and we need perseverance.

Politicians who claim to be professionals could not foresee the appointment of the new Prime Minister. It was the ordinary people, and not the specialists, that restored a ``sense of speed" for Japan.

What I, as University President can do, is to check and see to it that we are traveling in the right direction, at the right speed, and to cooperate with you all in contributing to the development of the University of Aizu.
Shine as Pioneers!