As a university founded in the world’s first city to suffer atomic bombing, Hiroshima University has supported the City’s rehabilitation from A-bomb damage. The Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine (RIRBM), among other institutions, has worked in cooperation with the Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Hiroshima University Hospital in developing new frontiers of radiation casualty medicine, based on radiation genetics. By doing so, the RIRBM has fostered and supported medical experts committed to treating and caring for A-bomb survivors, and scholars engaging in studies relating to radiation impact. Moreover, as a “tertiary radiation emergency medical institution in the Western Japan bloc,” Hiroshima University has provided medical care in response to radiation emergencies and has engaged in international activities as a member of the emergency exposure medical networks of IAEA and WHO.

Following the unprecedented devastation caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, and the ensuing nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Japan has been experiencing its first nuclear power station disaster. This event has revealed that nuclear power station disasters cause not only human injury and environmental contamination due to radiation exposure, they also destroy human relations and society because of enormous public anxiety and stress over environmental contamination by radiation.

To address the diverse problems arising from nuclear power station disasters, the Program establishes “Studies on Renaissance from Radiation Disaster,” an interdisciplinary and practical field, based on Hiroshima University’s accomplishments and experiences in supporting the rehabilitation process from the A-bomb attack. In this new field, three courses will be made available, “Radiation Disaster Medicine,” “Conservation of Environment from Radiation” and “Social Rehabilitation from Radiation.” The first course develops “human resources protecting lives from radiation disaster,” the second course develops “human resources protecting the environment from radiation,” and the third course develops “human resources protecting people and society from radiation.” In addition to common courses and specialized programs, each course provides various practical training opportunities. Centered on practical training (emergency medicine for radiation accident victims, emergency medical staff training, training for measuring and evaluating environmental radiation etc.) at Hiroshima Phoenix Training Center (HiPTC), these training programs also include fieldwork in Fukushima and internship at international organizations (IAEA and WHO), relevant companies and local authorities. The aim of all these training programs is to develop interdisciplinary global leaders (Phoenix Leaders) who can appropriately respond to radiation disasters, have the judgment and initiative necessary to contribute to rehabilitation processes in accordance with a well-defined philosophy, and can play substantial roles in the international community. 

Playing a central role in cross-disciplinary environmental research involving all faculties and graduate schools, the Global Environmental Leaders Education Program aims to resolve environmental problems now facing human society that cannot be resolved by any single conventional discipline, while making the most of the results of its education and research activities for the improvement of society. Through these processes, we develop new global environmental leaders who can lead the world’s sustainable growth.

The Program comprises the  Cross-disciplinary Doctoral Course and the Environmental Management Education Program. Students are required to engage in various activities beyond the conventional boundaries of specialized fields, so that they can develop the extensive qualities and abilities necessary for resolving environmental challenges. Specific activities include systematically organized cross-disciplinary coursework, lab rotation, industry-government-
academia internship and cross-disciplinary project-based research. The Program also provides students with opportunities to learn practical environmental business administration so that they will be able to conduct businesses by commercially applying innovative ’green’ technologies, both in Asia and around the world. Students who have completed this Education Program will be awarded a doctoral degree in one of the following fields: Arts and Science, Science, Engineering, Agriculture or International Cooperation Studies. They will also be presented a certifying completion of Environmental Management Education Program. After program completion, students are expected to play significant roles in companies, governments, international organizations and research institutions by applying their highly specialized knowledge and skills to international business activities and organizational management. In so doing, it is hoped that they will take the initiative in developing broadly diverse potential as innovative leaders for Asia’s ‘green’ growth.