In September 2007, Hiroshima University created and unveiled the Hiroshima University Action Plan 2007. The Action Plan, aimed at fostering an understanding and shared awareness of our policies among all members of Hiroshima University, is made up of specific action plans to be taken by the university by 2011 as a "university who will contribute to the future of society and continue to develop" in our ever-changing society.

As is stated in the Introduction of the 2007 Action Plan, the course Hiroshima University must embark upon requires the understanding of, and input from, all of its members and the Action Plan must, itself, change in response to social transformations. We anticipated lively debate based on this Action Plan among all of our members, and received many different opinions.

Thus, we have made the Hiroshima University Action Plan, 2008 as a revised edition of the 2007 Action Plan taking the opinions of our members into account.

The 2008 Action Plan does not depart from the fundamental philosophies of the 2007 Action Plan; rather it aims for the realization of the Action Plan in the next 3 years through providing clarified project implementation periods and concrete, numerical target values.

In 2009, Hiroshima University will commemorate 60 years since its founding, and in that time, we have made concrete advances based on our founding spirit of being "a single unified university, free and pursuing peace," evolving into one of the preeminent comprehensive universities in Japan. In 2004, Japan's national universities became educational corporations, and in tandem with the promotion of our universal mission as an institute of higher education, expressed in the phrase "fostering of excellent human resources capable of making a contribution to society and scientific research instrumental to human development," Hiroshima University will also be called upon to function in a role geared towards solving the many problems that humanity faces in the 21st century, including the environment, resources, and food supplies. For Hiroshima University to continue developing into the future amidst current social transformations, it is critical that we further leverage our uniqueness as a university rooted in Hiroshima, while simultaneously developing our educational and research activities to international standards.

The mission of a university is education and research, through which contributions are made to society. The immediate pressing issue in order for Hiroshima University to fulfill this mission is the streamlining and enhancement of administrative and operational functions to take full advantage of national university corporatization. In 2007, we began to make strides in improving personnel systems and reforming our administration and operational system, however, we aim at further developing the abilities, and strengthening the specialization of our administrative staff in order to establish a simple and streamlined administrative and operational system.

We hope that by restructuring our administrative and operational systems, as well as enhancing both student and faculty support, students will be free to focus their attention fully on their studies, and our faculty on education and research, which will produce outstanding students and create internationally-recognized characteristic education and research bases.

Honoring our founding principle of being "a single unified university, free and pursuing peace," and based on our five guiding principles of the "Pursuit of peace," "Creation of new forms of knowledge," "Nurturing of well-rounded human beings," "Collaboration with the local, regional and international community," and "Continuous self-development," Hiroshima University, one of Japan’s national universities, will fulfill its received mission.

(1) Enhancing Education on the Bachelor Program

1. Enhancing Liberal Arts Education (Acquiring Methods for Gaining Knowledge, Peace Education)

In order to foster highly imaginative human resources whom possess the problem-solving capacities that lie at the core of scholarship, we will further enrich our liberal arts education by conducting the kind of education that endows students with scholarly ability to acquire knowledge. We will also establish a unique and firmly grounded "Peace Education" in our university, as a university rooted in Hiroshima, a city which suffered from nuclear destruction.

Hiroshima University is conducting a review of its liberal arts education with the goal of implementing changes by 2010. In the first half of 2008, a review proposal of HU education and implementation systems will be created, contemplating the question of "what is HU's liberal arts education?" We will develop this proposal to become the subject of campus-wide discussion in the latter half of 2008.

2. Formation of a Program of Specified Education and Study in Line with our Basic Principles (Enhancing Educational Programs)

In addition to the current educational programs, we will continue to consider how to introduce new programs for training expected graduate human resources. In the course of enhancing our minor specialization program and other specific programs, we will evaluate each one based on factors such as student interest in course registration, the degree of goal achievement, and student-generated opinions and requests based off 2 years of implementation in 2008, and pave the way to an even higher level, quality-guaranteed education program. Additionally, we will survey initiatives being taken abroad to guarantee quality education, put possible initiatives gained from those surveys into place at HU, and plan for the enhancement of programs to ensure internationally compatible, high quality education.

3. Re-Examination of the Admission Process (Admissions and Selection System)

We will reexamine our compartmentalized admissions system and the current entrance examinations that take place several times per year, with increasing attention given to coordination with educational reforms and secondary education. We will also clarify our admissions policy and make the selection process more comprehensible to examinees beginning in 2011.

4. Improved Capacity for International Student Admissions (Improved International Competitiveness)

We will actively promote the admission of outstanding international students to the bachelor program. With the goal of admitting 1,400 international students during the next Mid-term Goal period based on the New Internationalization Strategy (12/05), we will proceed in discussions on how we can admit an increased number of students in faculties and departments, as well as creating a better environment for international student acceptance as stated in 3-(3)-4. Further, HU will create forums for communication among students of diverse cultural backgrounds and create an educational environment which fosters international competitiveness.

2) Enhancing Graduate Program Education

1. Creation of Graduate Level Education Loosely Integrated with our Bachelor Program (Clarification of the Model Human Resources)

We will clarify our model human resources for the graduate program, flexibly integrating it with the Program of Specified Education and Study at the undergraduate level, and, from that base, implement our graduate education program in 2009 based on systematic curricula which will be established in all graduate schools during 2008, with increasing attention given to diversification.

2. Internationalization of Graduate Level Education (International Partnership Programs, Study Abroad)

We will further our intake of international students, making full use of international partnership programs aligned with the International Exchange Partner Universities and the Double Degree Program. Furthermore, in 2008 we will implement a support system which aims to support the overseas education, research and internship activities of Japanese students to develop our graduate level programs internationally and to guarantee their quality.

3. Examine New Concepts in Graduate Education (Reorganization of the Graduate School)

While training human resources that contribute to both local and international society, and in October of 2008, in order to address current social issues, Hiroshima University plans to make clear our university's new concepts for our graduate schools, such as graduate schools that integrate science and the humanities, professional graduate schools, and founding new graduate schools in collaboration with other universities, as well as restructuring existing graduate schools.

(3) Student Support

1. Enrichment of Student Life (Improved Student Housing and Support for Extracurricular Activities)

By renovating student dormitories and more, HU will strive to improve the living environment for students as set down in the Yearly Plan, beginning in 2008. By strengthening our support for extracurricular activities, and in conjunction with strengthening our outreach and support programs in the local community as stated in 3-(1), we intend to stage academic and cultural events using facilities such as Satake Memorial Hall as part of our educational program to nurture well-rounded human beings.

2. Organizing Career Support Systems (Career Support)

Taking current social issues into consideration, we will organize a detailed and comprehensive career support system not just for current undergraduate students, but for graduate students and current alumni, and enhance the "Career Design Guide," a career planning guide presented to students upon entering the university,

3. Introduction of New Scholarship Systems (Scholarship Systems)

Make use of the Phoenix Scholarship Program introduced in 2008 for academically outstanding students who have difficulties entering the university for economic reasons, and with securing funds as stated in 6-(4)-4, accept about 10 scholarship students each year.

(1) Concentration of Knowledge
Organizing Cross-Departmental Faculty Groups and Reviewing Departments (Restructuring Researcher Groups)

In order to create the new forms of knowledge needed to contribute to society in the future, in October of 2008, Hiroshima University plans to make clear its new flexible educational and research system that distinguishes educational organizations (student organizations) from researcher organizations (faculty organizations) and create university-wide discussions. Looking toward reorganization of researcher organizations (faculty organizations), we will discuss existing university organizations, including faculties, graduate schools, hospitals, attached research centers, and centers, as well as their related student quotas.

(2) Identifying Fields to Strengthen

1. Strengthening Unique Research Fields and Promoting the Formation of Distinguished Research Centers (Peace, Education, Environment, and the Present Research Bases; Strengthening of Unique Centers)

Of the research fields being worked in at Hiroshima University, we will strengthen three fields in particular: "Peace" (bearing in mind Hiroshima's historical experience of nuclear destruction), "Education" (a long-standing tradition at HU), and "the Environment" (an issue common to the whole of humanity in the 21st Century). Additionally, based on the results achieved to date, we will provide support for, and consolidate those areas of research and those research groups that show the promise of further development and which offer unique and distinctive contributions to their respective fields. This support will aspire to raise such research activity to outstanding, world-class levels.

2. Improving Basic Research (Securing Basic Research)

We will work to secure and enhance basic research, ensuring there is no decline in the "transmission and development of intellectual culture" which is one of the missions of a university.

3. Discovery and Development of New Fields and Integrated Research Among Diverse Fields (Creation of Bases such as Project Research Centers, and Development of Integrated Research)

We will discover and promote new research fields and cross-disciplinary research through collaboration between Deans, etc, and at the same time, we will continue our project research application system and further enhance our research bases through the campus-wide support of promising projects with concrete results assessed by regular, periodic evaluations.

4. Global COE Applications/Acceptance (Global COE Acceptance)

Based on the restructuring of graduate schools in 1-(2)-3, and the concentration of knowledge given in 2-(1), we aim to bring Global COE applications to success and have 2-3 Global COE projects adopted through conducting support measures based on the above articles 1-3.

(1) Strengthened Ties with the Local Community

1. Improvements in Mechanisms for Promoting Social Coordination, and Strengthening Ties with the Local Community (Incorporation of the Needs of the Local Community)

In order to construct mechanisms for incorporating the needs of the local community (intellectual, cultural, and medical), and to strengthen ties that enable us to respond successfully to those needs, we will enhance and strengthen mechanisms for promoting social coordination.

2. Strengthened Ties with Society at the National and Local Government Levels (Personnel Exchanges with Local Government and Enterprises)

While promoting active participation by members of our staff in advisory committee and others, we will actively bring in researchers and faculty members from national and local governments, and further expand personnel exchanges.

Also, through the enhancement of student internships based on ties with industry, and the training of students by industry representatives, we will expand our career education and further bridge the gap between university and society.

3. Proactively Provide Information on the Results of University Activities (Website Enhancement)

We will re-examine such activities as the Liaison Fair and the website (researcher directory), and proactively provide information on the results of institutional and individual activities in readily comprehensible formats. Also, in regard to the Tokyo Liaison Office, we will review its usage policies by September 2008, including enhancing its role as a negotiation facility.

2) Strengthening of Industry-Academic-Government Ties

1. Promotion of Comprehensive Cooperation in Research with Industries (Promotion of Cooperative Research)

In conjunction with the ongoing collection of industry information and industry demands to promote comprehensive cooperative research, we will construct mechanisms to facilitate cooperative research. We will also periodically examine the results of cooperative research and, based on them, make any necessary reevaluations of existing comprehensive agreements.

2. Active Promotion of University-Initiated Venture Businesses (Venture Start-Ups)

We will consider policies for venture business start-ups incorporating the technological issues relevant to local industries and the creation of new technology, and actively promote their implementation.

(3) Development of International Exchanges

1. Improving and Bolstering International Exchange Activities (Establishing an International Center)

We will reconsider the functions and roles that the International Student Center and other divisions which have worked individually thus far, and reorganize related intra-university organizations (including groups related to the Academic Affairs Office) with the aim to establish an International Center (tentative name) during FY 2008, in order to enhance and strengthen all aspects of international exchange and improve international competitiveness.

2. Expansion of International Education and Research Centers (Establish an Asian Office)

By strengthening and enhancement of the Beijing Research Center, we plan to make it a base in China for Hiroshima University’s international exchange and also plan to establish new overseas offices in other Asian locations. For example, by setting up an office in Vietnam through collaboration with other universities and local governments, we will be able to acquire outstanding human resources through international cooperative research of the highest global standard.

3. Constructing a Strategic International Exchange Network (International Exchange Network)

We will consider and analyze exchange results at the level of partner schools and individual faculty members for the purpose of creating a strategic international network for credit transfer and specific research fields.

4. Creating a University Attractive to Outstanding International Students and Researchers (Improving an Acceptance System for Foreigners)

In parallel with measures such as adding and improving housing facilities for international students, conducting international recruitment in English, and providing multilingual notices and application forms within the university, we will engage in Staff Development (language study and international understanding) to train specialists in international exchange and create an internationally attractive university.

1) Training Superior Medical Service Personnel

Improving Pre-Graduation, Post-Graduation, and Lifelong Education; Education for Foreign Medical Personnel (Postgraduate Medical and Dental Training and Education Center)

In order to develop a training center devoted to the lifelong education of local medical personnel, we will improve and enhance the Postgraduate Medical and Dental Training and Education Center. We will also prepare the foundation for developing distinctive and outstanding world-class clinical skills in both the US and Europe, as well as neighboring Asian countries, and contribute to the training of foreign medical personnel.

(2) Development of Cutting Edge Medical Treatments and Application of Research Findings to Clinical Care

1. Development of Research Medicine and Application of Advanced Treatments (Cancer Treatment Center, Health Promotion Center)

We will prepare and make improvements to a Cancer Treatment Center as a hospital focused on cancer treatment and responsive to new medical treatment methods, and as a Health Promotion Center providing preventive medicine and treatment for the aging society, which are issues in 21st Century medical care.

(3) Providing High Quality Medical Care and Services

Preparing a New Outpatient and Central Care Facility, and Providing Medical Care According to Patient Needs (New Construction of an Outpatient and Central Care Facility)

We will construct an Outpatient and Central Care Facility to provide up-to-date 21st Century medical care, including outpatient surgery and advanced cancer treatment and preventative medical care. In addition, we will work for the improvement of patient services and will build a Patient Support Center to provide access to specialists able to offer the kind of support that traditional medical professionals have not been able to.

1. Reorganization and Integration of the Attached Kindergartens, Elementary Schools, and Middle and Senior High Schools (Reorganization and Integration of Attached Schools)

In order to improve ties with the university, we will promote reorganization and integration plans for attached kindergartens, elementary schools, and middle and senior high schools divided among five districts (organizations), and advance plans in accordance with the "Hiroshima University Attached Schools Reconstruction/Integration/Relocation Draft Plan" to establish attached schools on the Higashi-Hiroshima campus of Hiroshima University to provide an integrated educational system from kindergarten to university.

(1) Smooth University Administration By Improving Administrative Structure

1. Constructing a Streamlined and Simple Administrative Structure (Clarifying the Functions of the Board of Directors)

We will consider the fundamental direction of university management (guides for planning and formulating), which was set forth in 2007, and the functions and clarifications of the responsibilities of the administrative apparatus with final executive authority (i.e. the Board of Directors), and construct a streamlined, simple administrative structure.

2. Constructing an Administrative Organization Integrating Faculty and Staff (Administration Integrating Faculty and Staff; Improvement of Student and Faculty Support)

We will construct an administrative organization integrating faculty and staff with clearly defined areas of work responsibility. Through training administrators in charge of core university management, as well as other specialized staff members who efficiently perform specialized tasks, or through the proactive hiring of skilled staff members, we will gradually implement staff thinning measures in administration beginning in 2009, and upgrade and strengthen student and faculty support. At the same time, we will discuss the integration of the General Student Support Center facilities and the Support Offices of each school.

3. Organizing an Administrative Operation System in Education and Research (Rights and Responsibilities of Deans and Directors)

We will redefine the rights and responsibilities of deans and directors in areas such as budget implementation concerning education, research, and medical care. We will also discuss organization which differentiates education and research functions along with considering the position of deans, etc, as well as reexamining their selection process. Also, we will provide the necessary support for deans and directors to understand their rights and responsibilities, and to carry out those responsibilities.

4. University Administration Responsive to the Opinions of all Members of the University (Bottom-up Measures)

Conduct even more opinion and idea sharing between all members of the university, from the university executive members to deans and directors, through to the students, and create a university administration which is responsive to the opinions of all members of the university as well as reflects necessary opinions in university management.

5. University Management Incorporating the Opinions and Ideas of External Experts (Maximizing the Role of the Administrative Council)

We will implement sound university administration by proactively incorporating the opinions and ideas of external experts, such as the external councilors of the Administrative Council, as external evaluations so as to better the university.

(2) Creating an Environment Conducive to Full Concentration on Core Tasks

1. Creating an Environment that Allows Full Concentration on Education, Research, and Medical Care (Concentration on Education, Research, and Medical Care)

We will secure time for the proper execution of tasks by the faculty by reexamining tasks for faculty outside of education, research, and medical care.

2. Creation of Workplaces Conducive to Positive Contributions (Reexamining Career Paths, and the Right Person for the Right Task)

While clarifying career paths for staff members in 2008, we will organize the workplace in a way conducive to making positive contributions by placing the main responsibility for evaluating and revamping proposals and plans with staff, improving work methods through outsourcing certain practical aspects of operations, and assigning the right person to the right task, taking into account the wishes of staff.

3. Creation of an Environment Conducive to Study and Work by Reexamining Operational Centers (Revising Operational Organizations from the Stance of Users)

In order to create environments conducive to study and work, we will discuss how to improve and strengthen the General Student Support Center and the Career Center, and consider integrating the functions together with other student support units while referring to the opinions of university members.

4. Creation of an Information-Communication Environment (Creating an Environment Which Provides Access to Information)

To ensure the constant provision of necessary information and to further promote the improvement of operational efficiency, we will regularly upgrade and improve our website and electronics office, enhance our IT environment and e-Learning, as well as establish an environment providing information that is accessible from anywhere at any time. We will also reevaluate the functions of the Information Media Center, and strive to make improvements/reinforcements where necessary.

5. Creation of a Pleasant Environment for Work and Study (Pleasant Environment)

We will endeavor to establish a pleasant work and study environment by enhancing mental/healthcare aspects for example, and aim to create consistently more enjoyable surroundings conducive to a relaxed and lively student life, and the performance of work.

(3) Securing and Utilizing Human Resources

1. Securing Outstanding Human Resources (Introduction of an Annual Salary System, and Review of the Personnel and Salary Systems)

We will establish a flexible and attractive work environment and work conditions by reviewing personnel and salary systems, and supplementing our traditional salary system with an annually based one. To acquire and retain outstanding human resources and suitably assign them, we will appropriately evaluate education, research, medical care, and work-related activities, investigate ways to reflect these factors in salary, and raise the level of motivation among faculty and staff members in 2008.

2. Promotion of Gender Equality (Gender Equality)

We will implement a 4-year Action Plan (9/07) for the promotion of gender equality such as increases in hiring female faculty, etc, and we will make full use of outstanding human resources by improving support to both genders to facilitate their unrestricted engagement in family life, education, research, and work.

(4) Establishing a Top Management System for Financial Affairs

1. Displaying Leadership in Key Issues (Strategic Investment)

We will present strategic top-down policies on matters of greatest concern in university finances, such as budget requests, while giving sufficient consideration to the diverse positions and opinions of all members of the university. We will also be proactive regarding necessary prior investment through the effective use of internal funds in order to enhance education and research.

2. Review Research Fund Allocation (Proper Allocation of Educational and Research Funds)

We will allocate research funds by introducing a competitive funding system for both individuals and research organizations and develop basic and advanced cutting-edge research, as well as new ideas in research. We will also put a support system in place for those individuals or organizations granted competitive funding.

Educational funds will be allocated according to the actual financial burdens of each program.

3. Strengthening of Support Systems for Acquiring External Funding (Support System for Acquiring External Funds)

We will strengthen our support system for acquiring external funding at the individual and organizational level, including formulation of strategies for external funding acquisition and the assignment of specialized staff members.

4. Implementing Policies for Securing Diverse Funding Sources (Hiroshima University Fund; Securing Diverse Funding Sources)

We will strive to make effective use of the Hiroshima University Fund and strengthen the university's financial base. For this purpose, we will improve our fund system with specialized staff, and further develop activities to increase donations.

Also, we will pursue various measures to secure diverse funding sources through increased engagement in businesses, such as facility rentals. At the same time, we will review existing management and administration expenses, as well as other expenses, and make expense reductions.

5. Public Disclosure of the State of University Finances (Disclosure of Fiscal Information)

We will disclose to our constituent personnel as much information as possible on the university’s financial status in an easily comprehensible manner, and manage our finances with a high degree of transparency. Also, considering our reliance on national grants and tuition fees for our operating capital, we will provide ongoing disclosure of our financial information to society at large.

(5) Preparation, Usage, and Safety of Facilities and Equipment

1. Realization of a Universal Design Campus (Universal Design, Long-Term Preparation Planning)

We will unveil ground designs for each campus based on the effective usage of assets (facilities and equipment) and upgrades to welfare facilities which make use of universal design (user-friendly for the physically-challenged) beginning in May 2008. We will also widely appeal for the opinions of university members and begin maintenance measures in light of importance and urgency while undertaking necessary modifications.

2. Creating a Safe and Secure Campus (Improved Risk Management Systems)

We will improve university-wide risk management systems to provide a safe and secure campus environment.

3. Improving Library Services (Services Incorporating the Users' Point of View)

We will conduct user surveys and review services, and develop services based on the user's perspective to enhance the functionalities of our libraries.

(6) Improving Public Relations Activities

1. Strategic External Public Relations, and Internal Publicity to Advance Mutual Understanding (Accurate and Strategic Public Relations)

We aim to further improve our public relations structure. By improving the PR structure, we can achieve the following: strategic external public relations which accurately transmit university activities to society while responding to such major university management issues as securing outstanding students, the acquisition of external funding as well as our responsibility to explain ourselves publicly, and internal public relations which promote communication and mutual understanding among all members of the university, and allow members to share in the university management's vision and basic philosophy.

(7) Utilizing the Hiroshima University Alumni Association

1. Creating a Strong Community Through Strengthening Ties with the Hiroshima University Alumni Association (Utilization and Enhancement of the Alumni Association)

Through strengthening ties with the Hiroshima University Alumni Association, comprised of all parties concerned with the university, including current students, current staff, and alumni, we will develop integrated joint and exchange promotion projects, and create a strong community. In bolstering and enhancing this vision, we will make effective use of activities such as Homecoming Day and HU's 60th Anniversary.

It has been 4 years since Japan's national universities' corporatization in 2004, and in 2008 an evaluation of education and research as well as administrative management for the 4 years after the corporatization was conducted -- results of these evaluations will be reflected in areas such as the allotment of administrative fund subsidies for the next midterm goal period.

In September of last year, we established the Action Plan 2007 as a guideline of our actions over the next three-and-a-half years. In this plan, we considered administrative structural reform, made possible by the corporatization of the university, past plans for the future, and the experiences gained post-corporatization, as well as keeping the management perspective in mind, to be an issue crucial to university development.

The environment that universities find themselves in is a state of rapid transformation never witnessed before, with remarkable advances in scientific research, educational reforms, international competition among universities, a declining birthrate, and an aging population. At the same time, in the midst of an increasing severity in university accountability, it is necessary that we, as a national university corporation, achieve this accountability while making clear the characteristic features of Hiroshima University more than ever before.

Following this Action Plan 2008, we will endeavor to steadily realize each of our plans and reevaluate concrete execution plans. From there, we will proceed in establishing a 10-15 Year (the 2nd, 3rd Period Midterm Goal Periods) Long Term Vision as a plan for the future of Hiroshima University.