Nitob e Col le ge, Hok k a ido Un iver s it y

Hokkaido University Nitobe College Alumni Network Magazine

December 1 , 2 0 2 2No.

3

Hokkaido University Nitobe College Alumni Network Magazine

On the Occasion of
the Publication of Across〈Contents〉

1. On the Occasion of
the Publication of

ODA Migaku

2. Alumni Updates
3. Education Program:

Deputy Vice-Principal of Nitobe College
With the end of the COVID-19 pandemic nowhere in sight, how has everything been goingfor you, members of the Hokkaido University Nitobe College Alumni Network (HU-NCAN)?
Nitobe College offered mainly online or hybrid classes last year and the year before last.
This year, however, the college has changed its class formats to basically face-to-face, with
infection control measures in place, or to hybrid in some cases. The University as a whole has
also returned to a face-to-face format, which along with eased restrictions on entry to Japan forinternational students, has given me a sense that students are now back on our campus. At Nitobe
College, events such as the enrollment and completion ceremonies are held mainly face-to-face,combined with online streaming. We've also resumed training camps and fieldwork. The numberof Nitobe College students studying abroad has also been gradually recovering, for both longterm and short-term studies. Please rest assured, therefore, that despite the ongoing pandemic,
Nitobe College activities are returning to normalcy.

Undergraduate Education
Course4. Education Program:

Graduate Education Course

5. Nitobe College Updates
6. Nitobe College Fellows,

Mentors, and Faculty Members

7. Messages from Faculty Members
To Nitobe College Alumni
Website and Facebook
Account Addresses

Nitob e Col le ge, Hok k a ido Un iver s it y

①

②

③

① Former Entomology and Sericulture Hall
② On Ono Pond
Hokkaidoin
University
Nitobe College
Network Magazine③ Monument
Honor
of Alumni
Dr. Inazo
Nitobe in the
Flowering Tree Garden
December 1 , 2 0 2 2

No.

3

Since the merger in April 2019 of the undergraduate Nitobe College and the graduate Nitobe
School, the newly minted Nitobe College has consisted of the Foundation Program and the
Honors Program (in both the Undergraduate Education Course and the Graduate Education
Course). This merger has built a bridge between undergraduate and graduate courses, enabling
the college to provide integrated education from bachelor's to master's or professional degree
programs. The merger of the undergraduate and graduate courses is making progress, albeit
gradually. A case in point is that students in the Graduate Education Course can now take somesubjects offered by the Undergraduate Education Course, such as the Career Development
Seminar. This is expected to produce synergistic effects, such as graduate students' acquisitionof a broad range of knowledge and the offering of advanced lessons for undergraduate students.
Furthermore, the Honors Program in the Undergraduate Education Course has introduced anearly enrollment system that allows fourth-year students in the program to earn credits fortwo compulsory courses in the Foundation Program in the Graduate Education Course andthus to skip the Foundation Course in the Graduate Education Course and to enroll in the
Honors Program. In the Graduate Education Course, students use teamwork skills and othercompetencies acquired in their undergraduate days, as well as their experience in overseas
studies, to engage in active learning in English in an educational environment that is called amicrocosm of the international community. Students also continue to cultivate their foundations
as global leaders by honing skills that enable them to use their expertise to identify and address
global challenges. To ensure that many Nitobe College students will benefit from the opportunity
for integrated education, a structure is needed to facilitate the functioning of the bridge that
coherently connects the two courses, which I call the Nitobe bridge in my mind. As Nitobe
College is committed to continuously growing as an advanced educational program for future
global leaders, I look forward to your continued cooperation with and support for Nitobe
College.

ACROSSA treasure trove of
information at
the forefront ofinternational cooperation

YA M A S H I TA Na g i s a

M AT S U DA Na o k i

KAC Co., Ltd.
A member of Nitobe College's class of2014 (second graduating class)Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
A member of Nitobe College's class of2016 (fourth graduating class)

I was in the second graduating class of Nitobe College, and in 2020,
I graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine.
At Nitobe College, I participated in various activities, including aninternship. While I was working as an intern, researchers there
asked for my opinions, saying they would need different
perspectives from people from areas of expertise different fromtheirs. By experiencing an environment where, unlike
undergraduate schools, people with different areas of expertisework together, I learned the importance of respecting andcomplementing one another's opinions while maintaining expertiseas specialists.
Today, I work for a company that offers contract research services,supporting researchers as a specialist in preparing pathological
specimens. My work has brought home to me once again theimportance of communicating with people in other fields. I plan tokeep learning widely and deeply while improving my expertise.
The time I spent at Nitobe College was full of inspiration, as I was
surrounded by students who'd stay hungry to achieve whatever theywanted to achieve without ever giving up. I gained much valuable
experience while studying there. I remain in contact with myschoolmates, who specialize in fields different from mine. Everytime we bring each other up to speed on what's going on in our lives,
these former schoolmates give me positive energy, motivating me toaim higher. I'm going to cherish my relationships with my Nitobe
College schoolmates in the coming years and decades.

I studied in Belgium for six months in my fourth year at Hokkaido University, hunted
for work after returning to Japan, and landed a job at the Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) in April 2021. I was first assigned to a department incharge of projects for JICA international students. When I received a letter of
appointment at the welcoming ceremony for new employees, I could hardly imagine
what I'd be doing. But I gradually came to understand that the projects are not intended
to send Japanese overseas. They aim to select and train bureaucrats and those in theprivate sector in developing countries who'll earn master's or doctoral degrees in Japanand play active roles as Japan experts or Japanophiles after returning home. While inBelgium, I kept in contact with the country's food culture, people, and history for six
months—an amazing experience that I'd never trade for anything. By the time I
returned home, I'd fallen in love with the country. Now that I'm in a position to receive
international students, I strive every day to show Japan's attractiveness.
As of this writing, in August 2022, I'm in Tanzania. I have chosen this country for my
JICA Overseas OJT, a training program in which new recruits are dispatched todeveloping countries for two to three months. I chose Tanzania because I wanted totake advantage of my expertise in agriculture and see a largely unexplored Africa with
my own eyes. This is my first overseas stay in the two and a half years since I returned
from my overseas study, and I have been amazed by the huge amounts of information
available here in Tanzania compared with what's available back in Japan.
Japan has various places where international cooperation has been promoted.
Hokkaido University is also viewed as being at the forefront of international
cooperation, along with the JICA Hokkaido Centers in Sapporo and Obihiro. With theongoing COVID-19 pandemic, you may have limited opportunities to go abroad andlearn the situation on the frontlines. But I hope you will always remember theimportance of learning what's happening on the ground and taking up new challenges!

Delivering results
while respecting
diversity

Enjoying taking onchallenges

YA M A Z A K I R i k a

O K A DA S h i m p e iApplied Research and Operations Modality
Research Labs Biologics Engineering,
Astellas Pharma Inc.
A member of Nitobe School's class of2016 (second graduating class)

Strategy & Consulting Group,
Accenture Japan Ltd.
A member of Nitobe School's class of2017 (third graduating class)I specialized in protein science and earned my doctoral degree.
Currently, I'm researching cancer drug discovery at a
pharmaceutical company. Specifically, I design, produce, andevaluate antibody molecules at a division for research on drug
modalities. Our goal is to use the molecules we produce to develop
new drugs for patients. At Nitobe School, students with different
areas of expertise gathered to present their research findings andprovide mutual feedback. The insights I gained in those days havetruly benefitted me today in my work to develop new drugs on ateam by collaborating with experts in pharmacology, safety,
physical properties, and various other fields. Back then, I sometimes
found it challenging to balance work at Nitobe School with myresearch, but I am glad I gave it a try. That said, since I went into thereal world, I have faced a new challenge: At Nitobe School, we were
all students in master's or doctoral programs, although we
specialized in different fields. But the people I work with at thecompany differ not only in areas of expertise, but also in age, family
situation, attitude toward work, and more. I keep experimenting
with various approaches, as I believe that creativity and mutual
respect are essential if people with different backgrounds are towork closely to deliver good results.

A lumni Up date s

Relationships with
my Nitobe College
schoolmates will
last forever

No.3

Since graduating from the Hokkaido University Graduate School of
Health Sciences, I have worked for a consulting company, where I
am involved in technology-based corporate transformation. I'm
striving to enhance the value of our client corporations in light ofchanges in the business environment.
At our company, I work on a team with members from different
backgrounds, such as experts in business administration and thosein technology. This was familiar to me, because at Nitobe School I
worked with team members whose majors differed from mine inaddressing challenges. We worked to leverage each other's strengths
and to compensate for weaknesses in order to deliver the best
possible results as a team. This idea and attitude have been
benefitting me immensely.
It is challenging yet truly rewarding to take on challenges with otherteam members and to exercise our wisdom through extensive
discussion in order to deliver value to our clients. Last winter, I had
an opportunity to talk with Nitobe College students about careers. I
am pleased to have had the opportunity to work for Nitobe College
as an alumnus, and I find it sobering to find myself inspired byhighly motivated, enthusiastic students. I am going to keep building
my career while enjoying taking on challenges without hesitation.

2

Education Program: Undergraduate Education Course■ Global Foundation Course

The Global Foundation Course, a compulsory course in the Foundation Program,is designed for provisionally enrolled first- and second-year students. The course
offered in the spring term, on International Understanding and Study Abroad, is aseries of omnibus lectures given by instructors with extensive international
experience, whereas that in the summer term, on Leadership and Teamwork,
centers on groupwork. In academic year 2021, we introduced a highly flexible
hybrid of online and face-to-face instruction that allowed us to offer classes flexibly by taking advantage of the benefits of these different
forms of instruction. The introduction of more tutors has apparently further enhanced our support system for students. Going forward, weare striving to further develop the system in order to provide more tailored support for students.

■ Fellow Seminar

This compulsory course for Foundation Program students is offered in asmall-group, problem-solving exercise format under the guidance of Nitobe
College Fellows. The course aims to enable students to demonstrate leadershipand teamwork skills as they consider with other team members how they can help
solve global problems toward achieving a sustainable society. In academic year
2021, eight themes were selected, and all activities were conducted face-to-face,
including the presentations of exercise results at an open symposium. We willcontinue to improve our classes to make them more fulfilling with the support oftutors and other concerned parties.

■ Career Development Seminar

This course helps students cultivate the ability to build their own futures. Here
Nitobe College Fellows serve as partners of students, and students themselves
serve as partners of other students. In academic year 2021, the pandemic once
again prevented the course from holding an overnight training session, but notgroupwork sessions, which we held in person. Compared with the previous year's
exclusively online sessions, this year's face-to-face sessions involved much more
lively discussions, providing a great opportunity for students to learn what's
going on in society and to reflect on their life plans. The lack of overnighttraining has led to the realization that such training is vital in having students andNitobe College Fellows get to know each other and in encouraging students togain insight into themselves in an out-of-the-ordinary space. We would like toreinstate overnight training next year.

■ Nitobe College Mentoring Program(Taiwa Program)This program offers the opportunity for students to have one-on-one interaction
with Nitobe College Fellows to improve their leadership capabilities. Again in
academic year 2021, sessions were held primarily online. This made us
acknowledge anew that the online format is an effective tool for facilitating
student participation, as it is easier for them to attend sessions timewise and also
psychologically. We also confirmed the importance for students to look back on
their online sessions with Fellows. Moving forward, we will continue to use
online tools as a beneficial option even after face-to-face sessions become
available again.

2021 Taiwa Program Fellows■ Overseas Study

Overseas Study is mandatory for Nitobe College students and aims to develop their global perspectives. Nitobe College awards credits inOverseas Study to students who have successfully completed the Student Exchange Program, Short-Term Overseas Special Program(Short-Term SP), International Internship Program (International IP), or a short-term overseas study program registered as a specialized
subject by an undergraduate school. Academic year 2021 saw the resumption of the Student Exchange Program, resulting in more students
going abroad. Meanwhile, we provided opportunities for students who find it difficult to study abroad for a long term to earn credits from
Overseas Study programs by offering online courses of short-term study abroad programs, such as the Short-Term SP and International IP.

■ Short-Term Overseas Special Program (Short-Term SP)

Based on our experience of offering an online course of the Short-Term SP in the previous year, the Short-Term SP in academic year 2021
was offered with expanded content featuring faculty members of Hokkaido University's four partner institutions in North America (theUniversity of Alaska, the University of Washington, Oregon State University, and the University of British Columbia). Specifically, a setof instruction consisted of students (1) watching a lecture on demand, (2) engaging in group discussion that included an international
student teaching assistant (TA), and (3) attending a Q&A session with the lecturer, and a total of 15 sets of instruction were offered for aperiod of two weeks. Students were able to envision what it would be like to study at a partner institution and were motivated to study
abroad despite a lack of opportunity for fieldwork or cross-cultural experiences.

3

ACROSS

No.3

Education Program: Graduate Education Course■ Online Active Learning Sessions and Hybrid Active Learning Sessions

Owing to the pandemic, graduate courses in academic year 2021 were offered online in the spring and summer terms and partially in a
hybrid format in the fall and winter terms. Ingenuity was exercised, such as holding team discussions using Zoom breakout rooms, theMiro online whiteboard, and the teamwork functions of the Nitobe Portfolio (NPF); giving advice from different viewpoints by assigninga non-Japanese teaching assistant to each team; and energizing discussions in English.

■ Foundation I, Foundation Ⅱ: Basics and Practice of Team-based Learning
Foundation I focused on developing teamwork abilities on topics such as creative
thinking, critical thinking, leadership skills, and professional ethics. Foundation II
introduced students to the basics of project management in order to ensure
effective, efficient teamwork and enabled them to implement two projects. One
project was for students to present their original solutions to the recent problem of
the frequent sightings of brown bears in Sapporo's residential areas. This topic wasof great interest to students because it is a local problem that closely relates tohuman coexistence with nature and hence to the SDGs. The other project was for
opening the doors of Hokkaido University as a refugee camp. The problem ofrefugees is a serious cross-cutting social issue, so it requires not only the expertiseof individual students, but also creative and critical thinking. The project was
imbued with a sense of reality by Mentors pointing out the need for theconsideration of budget estimates and other practical aspects.

■ Advanced I, Advanced II: Problem Finding & Problem Solving
Advanced I focused on “Food, Water, Environment,” with the SDGs set
as a general framework for the theme. Students discussed solutions tochallenges people face in relation to food, water, and the environment.
To have students learn about initiatives undertaken in the real world andto further broaden their horizons, we enlisted the support of Nitobe
College Mentor ISHIKAWA Kenichi (3M Japan Limited). He dispatched
two of the company's employees as external lecturers, who introduced
their company's activities regarding food safety and security and who
provided advice to students from a business perspective during
discussions and presentations. In Advanced II, students implemented
projects under the theme of “International City Sapporo's Activities andProblems” in the summer term and “Diversity in Society—As one cangrow from difference” in the winter term. In fieldwork, students
explored real problems to be solved by analyzing primary data obtained
from interview surveys conducted using face-to-face, phone, Zoom,
e-mail, and other modes of interaction.

■ Mentor Forum

Lectures and Mentors' Meeting featuring Nitobe College Mentors were held online on June 19 and December 18 under the theme of“Think Your Career Path.” Through the Forum, students gained valuable insights into how they should engage in research and job hunting,as well as into career designing.

■ Project Implementation

In Project Implementation classes, students learned to prepare project plans and make presentations. By expressing their project details inwords, students were able to improve their ability to clearly communicate their project visions. They also honed their listening skills so thatthey could understand research findings in fields other than theirs. This has in turn enabled them to see their own research from a broad,multifaceted perspective.

■ Nitobe College Special Seminar for Graduate Students:
Hult Prize Challenge & Demola (Issue-solving exercise for real business)
The winner of the Hult Prize Hokkaido University
On-Campus Program 2021-22 was Team Yummy
Choice, consisting of alumni of the Nitobe College
Graduate Education Course. The team proposed
the use of edible chopsticks and tableware to reducetree felling. In Demola, students formed teams withpartner companies and made presentations to thecompanies on solutions to the challenges they
faced. There were cases in which companies
accepted the solutions presented and concluded
license agreements.

©Hult Prize@Hokkaido University©Demola Hokkaido

4Nitobe College Updates

First Year

Second Year＊

Third Year

Fifth Year＊＊＊＊＊Foundation Program

Global Foundation Course (International Understanding and Study
Abroad, Leadership and Teamwork),
Fellow Seminar

Sixth Year＊＊six-year undergraduate program

second-year students and students in
the Modern Japanese Studies Program

Title & Award
Summa cum Laude
Magna cum Laude
Cum Laude
Associate

Honors Program

Overseas Study (Student Exchange Program, Short-Term Overseas Special Program, short-term overseas study program registered as a specialized subject by an undergraduate school, International
Internship Program), Career Development Seminar, Advanced Seminar, Dialog Program

Foundation Program

M2＊＊＊

M1＊＊＊

Honors Program

Foundation I, Foundation II,
Foundation Seminars for Graduate Students

master's degree programs andprofessional degree programs＊＊＊

Advanced I, Advanced II, Project
Implementation, Special Seminars for
Graduate Students

Title & Award

Associate (Graduate)
Highest Honors■Undergraduate Education Course■Graduate Education Course(students)(students)

20

222

200

186

203

152

28

33

41

42

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

●Career Choices of Undergraduate Education
Course Students (in academic year 2021)

3

3

Fisheries Sciences

Environmental
Science0■Graduates

149
108 114106

78

64

46

67 65

74 69

7

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

(academic
year)●Career Choices of Graduate Education
Course Students (in academic year 2021)

Private enterprise

16 students

Still enrolling in graduate schoolat Hokkaido University

62 students

Government organization

1 student

Private enterprise

3 students

17 students

Advancement to a doctoral course
at Hokkaido University

1 student

8 students (3 in Japan, 5 abroad)

Undecided

3 students

Advancement to graduate schoolat Hokkaido University
Advancement to graduate schoolat another university

1
Science

Agriculture

3
Information Scienceand Technology

Medicine

Health Sciences

4■Enrollees

129135(academic
year)

11

7

●Numbers of Enrollees and Graduates

100
57

Public Policy

Education

1

200

161

100
0

5

199

129

15

5

2

(students)

245

212

2

International Media,
Communication,
and Tourism Studies

Modern JapaneseStudies Program

3

0

2

Economics andBusiness

27

School of
Fisheries Sciences

School of
Pharmaceutical
Sciences
School ofEngineering

School of
Agriculture

129School of
Veterinary Medicine

13

5

Humanities andHuman Sciences

46■Enrollees ■Graduates

300

11

10

●Numbers of Enrollees and Graduates(students)

15

15

Engineering

110

School of
Dental Medicine

School ofMedicine

School of
Economics
and Business
School of
Science

School of Law

School of
Education

First-year Education
Division (sciences)

School of Humanities
and Human Sciences

First-year Education
Division (liberal arts)

120
100
80
59
53
60
45
37 32 38
40
14
20 12
0

●Enrollment by graduate school/faculty inacademic year 2021 (75 students in total)

Chemical Sciencesand Engineering●Enrollment by school/program in academic
year 2021 (510 students in total)

5

Fourth Year

Life Science

Graduate Education Course Undergraduate Education Course

From enrollment to completion at Nitobe College

ACROSS

No.3

Nitobe College Fellows, Mentors, and Faculty Members
Encouragement of experience as a minority member

ISHIKAWA Megumi
Fel low

CJ Communication

I joined NHK, Japan's national broadcaster, upon graduating from Hokkaido University. There I worked as adirector for 11 years before leaving the company, and I then lived in Beijing, China, for over seven years. I was in
China when the country hosted the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was witnessing rapid economic growth. Seeing how
economic growth was drastically changing the society fascinated me, but what actually broadened my horizons was
my firsthand experience as a minority member there.
Living in a foreign country is quite frustrating because one is unfamiliar with the local customs and societal systems
that locals take for granted, and legal or regulatory requirements may differ for foreigners. In fact, in China, the firstforeign country I lived in, I was sometimes at a loss for what procedures to follow to find a job, start a business, andeven navigate daily life.
That said, I encourage students to venture to live as such an outsider in society while young, in order to learn what
difficulties they would face, what kind of assistance they would find helpful, and what skills they would find lacking
in themselves. Such experiences will certainly prove useful when you pursue a career on the world stage or you findyourself in a position to supervise a team that includes members with different cultural backgrounds.
How you acclimatize yourself to cultures different from yours and find ways for everyone to thrive is an importantskill required for global leaders going forward.

Why I've continued to share my experience at Nitobe College

KURODA Taruho
MentorR&D Asia-Pacific Hub, LEO Pharma K.K.

I often feel how ignorant I was when I was a student. I didn't know what occupations there were in the world, howsociety worked, or what was the current of the times. I knew nothing about money, either. I'm sure these words haveechoed in the minds of many students reading this article. I have been sharing my personal experiences as a Mentorof Nitobe College students because I want them to do some “warming-up exercises” before diving into the big
ocean—the real world.
Before graduation, I struggled to decide what career I should pursue. In hindsight, some of the many pieces of advice
I would have given to myself at that time would be these: “Just wondering is a waste of time. You should gather as
much information as necessary to make the right decision. If you can't find the necessary information, you should
directly ask those who are senior to you. You may be surprised at how much they're willing to help you.” Nitobe
College has many alumni you can count on.
Another reassurance I would have given myself at college would be this: “Don't worry.” Ordeals such as exam-taking
and job hunting, whose value seems debatable, will help nurture the foundation of who you are. Experiences become
your flesh and blood, although it may be two or three decades before you realize that the experiences have built on
your strengths. Even when your efforts feel futile, the time you devoted will never betray you.
I keep sharing my personal experiences with Nitobe College students because I see in them my former self as a
confused youngster. I truly hope I can help Nitobe College students excel in their careers.

Specially Appointed Academic Staff
UCHIDA Haruko (Ph.D.)
Specially appointed associate professor
Educational psychology

SHIGETOMI-KURIBAYASHI Kaori (Ph.D.)
Specially appointed associate professor
Micro and nano engineering, origami
engineering

SHIMADA Kazuhisa (Ph.D.)
Specially appointed associate professor
Political science

HATANAKA Takami (Master's degree)
Specially appointed lecturer
European studies

XIAO Lan (Ph.D.)
Specially appointed lecturer
Pedagogy

Fellows & Mentors
Fellows

SHISAI Satoko

MATSUO Nozomu

HAGINO Izumi

Senior Chief Researcher, Institute ofIntellectual Property, Foundation forIntellectual Property [GIF]

Division Manager, Data Solution
Division, Dentsu Cross Brain Inc.

Proprietor of CJ Communication

Executive Vice President, Head of
Digital Transformation Unit, Chugai
Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

ISHIKAWA Yuichi

SHIBATA Tetsushi

MIMURA Naoki

Director, Engineering Department,
Sapporo Branch, Sato Kogyo Co., Ltd.

Senior Consultant, Logic ResearchCo., Ltd.

Vice President
Sanmaruko Foods Co., Ltd.

SHIBUE Takao

MURAYAMA Waka

ISHIKAWA Megumi

President and CEO, Purau, Inc.
Director, Johnson Controls, K.K.

ITO Shin
Associate Director, Neurology
Marketing, argenx Japan K.K.

INOUE Shuhei
Former Executive Officer, Sojitz
Corporation
Former Director, Board Member,
Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.

UEDA Hideki
Member of the Board and SeniorVice President, Enterprise Business
Division 1, Nippon Information andCommunication Corporation

OHTSUKA Eiko
Professor Emeritus, Hokkaido
University

OHTOMO Toshihiko

SCHLUETER Tomoko (Ph.D.)

Head of Oncology Lifecycle
Management Department, Chugai
Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Specially appointed assistant professor
Religious studies

KAYANO Satoru

WANG Qianran (Master's degree)

KUDO FumikiyoSpecially appointed assistant professor
Pedagogy (social education, lifelong learning
studies)

General Manager, Hokkaido Branch,
Sojitz Corporation

CEO, Successboard Inc.

SASAKI Ryouko
Board Member, Arcs Co. Ltd.

Former Executive Officer of Mitsui
Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.

SHIMADA Motoo
Adviser, VISCAS Corporation

FUJII Kodai
MAEDA Miku

Section Manager, Engineering
Department, Zukosha Co., Ltd.

Staff: Global Education HR Education
Division, Nitori College Admin Office,Nitori Holdings, Co., Ltd.

MORI Junko

YAMASHITA Naoki

President and Representative
Director, Happy Arrow Co., Ltd.

Budget examiner, Budget Bureau,
Ministry of Finance

Senior Advisor, Sojitz ResearchInstitute

Mentors

RAVANKAR Abhijeet

TAMASHIRO Hiko

ISHIKAWA Kenichi

TADA Yukio

Professor Emeritus, Hokkaido
University

Vice President, 3M Japan Limited

WADA Yoshiaki

OFOSU-TWUM Eric

Member, House of Representatives

TODA Morimichi

Researcher, Hitachi, Ltd.

Executive Vice President, Toda
Corporation

KURODA Taruho

HAGINO Izumi

Senior Director, R&D Asia-PacificHub, LEO Pharma K.K.

Division Manager, Data Solution
Division, Dentsu Cross Brain Inc.

SAHEKI Yuriko

HINO Mineko
Conference interpreter

HIROSHIGE Katsuhiko
Representative Director, Japan
Corporate Bond Research Association[GIA]

FUJITA Nobuyoshi
Director, Cerezo Osaka Sports Club
[GIA]
Director and Senior Adviser, Cerezo
Osaka Co., Ltd.

Associate Professor, Kitami Instituteof Technology

Researcher, Shiseido Co., Ltd.

NAKAJIMA Tetsu
Founder & General Partner, 15th
Rock Ventures
Representative Director, Spirete, Inc.

NAKAHARA Taku
Co-founder & CEO, Metagen
Therapeutics, Inc.

NAGAHORI Noriko
Specially appointed professor,
Hokkaido University, Co-founder &CEO, enU Pharma, Inc.

Abbreviations: K.K.: a joint-stock company; GIF: a general incorporated foundation; GIA: a general incorporated association

6

Messages from Faculty Members
Undergraduate Education Course Looking back on Nitobe College's joint event with Portland State University
LA FAY Michelle
Professor, Faculty of Humanities and Human Sciences
In February and March for four sessions, Nitobe College and Portland State University students took part in a joint event.
Nitobe College invited students from both universities to participate in the event and talk about how our countries are seen fromthe outside. I created an outline to guide the students with some questions and exercises so that starting the discussion would beeasier for the students.
Each session started with about 20 minutes discussion the information students through the small exercises. Then the students were given about anhour to discuss the topic among themselves. I then came back into the discussion at the end to hear their opinions and short summaries.
The ten participants were very positive about the event and stated they would have been happy to have had a few more sessions. Participants liked
the platform of first having structured discussion with the teacher and then more free and frank talks among the students. Students said they would
like to participate in future events. They suggested other topics such as pop culture, politics, mental health, or movies. Nitobe College is hoping tohost similar events in the future with other universities to promote student interaction.

Graduate Education Course Messages from Instructors in academic year 2021
SHANE Peter

CHI Hyunjoo Naomi

In charge of Problem Solving
Two years of Problem Solving has made me confident that this course
provided great opportunities for students to catch a glimpse of the realworld. Interdisciplinary collaboration to produce practical implementable solutions in linewith the SDGs taught us all that nothing begins without great ideas and teamwork!

In charge of Problem Solving
In Nitobe College's Problem Solving class, students engaged in extensive
discussions and conducted field work to identify and propose possible
solutions to the challenges we face today. The time and relentless effort that you put into
the various tasks in class will never betray you! Let us meet the challenges at face value andrise to the occasion. We are in this together!

Associate Professor, Hokkaido University Hospital(Spring and Fall Terms)

ITO Hidetaka

Associate Professor, Faculty of Science(Summer Term)
In charge of Problem Finding
I would like to encourage students not to imitate others, but to challengethemselves one notch above who they are now with a constant awareness ofwhat they should do to cultivate their personality. This message is intended not only for students,
but also for myself. With these words in mind, I will continue to work hard every day.

OH Seongjin

Assistant Professor, Research Faculty of Agriculture(Summer Term)
In charge of Practice of Team-based Learning
Nitobe College provides a great opportunity for students to broaden theirhorizons. You could discuss topics they normally do not think about withyour peers from various areas of specialization. I look forward to Nitobe College graduates
returning to the college to play active roles as Mentors.

MIURA Atsushi

Associate Professor, Faculty of Science(Winter Term)
In charge of Practice of Team-based Learning
I took charge the course of Nitobe College for the first time in several
years. Before giving lectures, I worried whether the hybrid mode of
instruction would enable us to have as lively discussions or project implementation as
before, but I realized that my concerns were totally groundless. I was amazed to see young
students working with a desire for deeper learning under any circumstances. I look forward
to teaching again in 2022.

Associate Professor, Graduate School of Public Policy(Spring and Fall Terms)

DENG Pengru

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Engineering(Currently, Professor, School of Civil Engineering,
Central South University, China)(Summer Term)
In charge of Practice of Team-based Learning
I have had a great experience in lecturing at Nitobe College for the two years since 2020. I had agreat experience in lecturing at Nitobe College for the two years since 2020. No doubt there will
be added stress, uncertainty, and challenges ahead of you in society. I believe you can overcome
them and achieve success with what you learned and your attitude. I wish you continued successand happiness in all you do. All the best!

COKER Caitlin

Associate Professor, Faculty of Humanities and Human Sciences(Winter Term)
In charge of Problem Finding
The cardinal aim of universities is to ensure that students learn and develop
wisdom together so that they can envision and create a society where
everyone can live a fulfilling life. Through Problem Finding, we review the stereotypes that
underlie the way we perceive presumably common problems so that we can see the worldfrom a different perspective.

To Nitobe College Alumni

Please register as a member with the Hokkaido University
Nitobe College Alumni Network (HU-NCAN).
To register, please visit the Nitobe College website or scan the
QR code here.
● The Hokkaido University Nitobe College Alumni Network (HUNCAN) carefully manages the personal information obtained
through your membership registration in line with the Act on
the Protection of Personal Information and never provides it to
any third party without your prior consent.

Website and Facebook Account Addresses●

Website: Nitobe College
https://nitobe-college.academic.hokudai.ac.jp/●●

Facebook account:
Hokkaido University Nitobe College Alumni Networkhttps://ws.formzu.net/fgen/S23755582/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/
hokudai.nitobe.alumni.network/

Hokkaido University Nitobe College Alumni Network (HU-NCAN)
Hokkaido University Nitobe College Office
Kita 17, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-0817, Japan Tel.: 011-706-5414 E-mail: ncan@academic.hokudai.ac.jp

Published on December 1, 2022