An Advance of Nagoya University Alumni Association (NUAL) for 14 Years since Establishment
Chief Secretary of Nagoya University Alumni Association
Prof. Yoshito Itoh
１．PrefaceNagoya University Alumni Association was established 14 years ago, October 27, 2002. Since nationaluniversities would turn into independent administrative entities, existing reunions, which formed by eachdepartment or each laboratory were not enough. Moreover, an alumni association that supports university-wide
was necessary. Nagoya University Alumni Association is university-wide alumni association and it has morethan one hundred ten thousand members. Members include current and old faculty members as well asuniversity graduates. There was an augment that alumni should commit fund-raising to collect huge amount ofcontributions, and operate like some private institutes. However, NUAL has a fundamental policy that realizes
growth after 10 or 20 years; moreover, NUAL pursues the goal of distinguished national university alumni.
These backgrounds of establishment were reported in University Alumni Association Newsletter (No.838,2003) when NUAL had established. Therefore, I give an account after the establishment and recent trends.
２．Organization of Nagoya University Alumni Association
Nagoya University Alumni Association is made up of council, administrative agent, administrative agent acting
committee, responsible chairmen’s liaison committee, and a variety of committees such as projects, newsletters,cooperation, and roll. The organization has not changed since the establishment very much. There were afinancial committee and a planning committee; nevertheless these committees were included in administrative
agent acting committee. 2 or 3 members are selected from each school alumni to become members of thecouncil and the administrative agent. Daily activities are performed by alumni bureau (chief secretarymanages) that are supervised by administrative agent and administrative agent acting committee (chief secretaryand chairmen of variety of committees).
President and Vice-presidents are almost the same as that of the alumni has established. President Dr.
Shoichiro Toyoda (Chairperson emeritus of Toyota Motor Corporation), Vice-presidents Uichiro Niwa (FormerJapanese ambassador to China), Masaharu Sibata (executive adviser of NGK Insulators. Ltd.), Kunihiko Okada(former chairperson of J. Front Retailing), and Hidehiko Saito (National Hospital Organization Nagoya MedicalCenter) are the original board members since the alumni has established. Sadayuki Sakakibara (Chairperson ofNippon-Keidanren) and Katsuhito Miyaike (President of NEXCO Central) became vice-presidents a few years
after the establishment. Chief secretary of the alumni has selected every 2 year. When NUAL had established,
the term limit of it was 4 years, but the rule had revised, and there was no term limit now. I have been selected toit even though other candidates were nominated several times.
３．Activities of NUAL１)Direct support of University
NUAL provides school relief funds, donation lectures, and human resources. School relief funds have started
since 2004 that have budget of five million yen (2016) every year. Every spring and autumn, we recruit
participants and contribute up to five hundred thousand yen each person. Responsible chairmen’s liaison
committee votes to select persons who receive funds. School relief funds are targeted to support college
departments, student activities, student placement, and other. We made contributions of 35 million yen to 93
cases to university.
Donation lectures began to hold in 2004 and donated total of 5,460 thousand yen. We support travel expenses
and honorarium to lecturers for “career development theory” that is year-round class. 400 students participates
the class every year and the class has quite a reputation. Alumni have had a chance to recommend a lecturer.
Alumni provide human recourses such as graduate students to university organizations and projects.
Moreover, three vice presidents participate in management council. Furthermore, NUAL cooperates withNagoya University foundation for funds and human resources.

1Dr. Toyoda, President of NUAL, usually makes
speeches at enrollment and graduation ceremony(Vice-president may make a speech instead).
NUAL suggested an academic gown for graduation
ceremony and accepted board of directors ofuniversity. NUAL donated academic gowns topresident, board members, and heads ofdepartments and they have wore the gowns since2012.
We donated academic gowns tovaledictorians of bachelor degree, master degree,
and doctorate at graduation ceremony in 2015.
International students delighted about the academicgowns, so they are not only taking pictures but alsopurchasing to bring home.

Graduation ceremony in 2015 with academic gowns(On the stage：President Matsuo, board members,
headsofeachdepartments,Down

stage ：

valedictorians of each departments）

２）Establishment of Domestic Branches
There are three domestic branches, which are Kanto branch (Branch chief is Uichiro Niwa, established 2004),
Enshu-kai (Branch chief is Takeshi Shoda, established 2004), Kansai branch (Branch chief is Tetsuo Kakei,
established 2005), and they encourage activities. Kanto branch has monthly meetings at a basement room of
University Graduates Society (Gakushikai) that is borrowed from the University Graduates Society for free.
Successive presidents of Nagoya University and the chief secretary of NUAL attend yearly general meetings
every year. NUAL financially supports for the meeting expenses to domestic branches albeit only slightly.
３）Establishment of Oversea Branches
NUAL has established oversea branches in Asian area, and we have now 15 oversea branches (Korea,Bangladesh, Shanghai, Thailand, Beijing, Vietnam,Cambodia, Mongol, Uzbekistan, Taiwan, Laos,Myanmar, Indonesia, Philippines, and Malaysia).
Establishment meetings are normally held at local
countries, and the president, the chief secretary, andthe chairman of cooperate committee attend themeeting. When Philippines branch established andheld meetings in December 2015, president of NUAL
Dr. Toyoda and his spouse, and then president ofNagoya University Dr. Hamaguchi had attended themeeting.
There was an oversea branch that
cerebrated 10 years anniversary. Asian countries areunder different circumstances so each country choosespresident of the branch differently. The chairman ofEstablishment meeting of Philippines branchcooperate committee or chairman of NUAL once
(Dec. 20, 2014)
visited to have meetings in advance. Basically,(From front left, Dr. Itoh chief secretary ofgraduated students of each country enforce activities,
NUAL, Dr. Collado president of Philippinesand resided Japanese graduated students support thebranch, Dr. Saito professor emeritus, Dr. Toyoda
activities. It helps internationalization of Nagoya
president of NUAL, Dr. Hamaguchi president ofUniversity to provide oversea branches of NUAL.
NU, Mrs. Toyoda, Dr. Gaspillo vice-president ofPhilippines branch)

2Headquarter of NUAL supports for general
meeting expenses, but we requested to operate
alumni activities independently. However, we
support few meeting expenses to 15 oversea
branches.

NUAL oversea branches（At March, 1. 2016）４）Support of Homecoming Day
NUAL had requested to hold homecoming day to university when it turned into independent administrativeentity. Homecoming day has held 12 times since NUAL has established. Alumni support to take placehomecoming day in personnel and in financially. I had served as a director of the homecoming day for 7 years.
I also released activity reports as a chief secretary of alumni and director of homecoming day at “Nagoya Daigakuno Tsudoi” which has held at Toyoda Auditorium. Alumni offer lunch for student volunteers and faculty andstaff members. Homecoming of Nagoya University is open to public. In the second section of “NagoyaDaigaku no Tsudoi,” there is a concert of Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra. The concert is very popular and thetickets distribute in a drawing.
If an oversea branch established, NUAL invites the chairman of the branch at a next year homecoming day.
On the eve of homecoming day, international exchange contributed persons that are selected by chairmen of eachalumni associations and university are invited and hold welcome party for oversea branches. NUAL President
Dr. Toyoda , vice-presidents of NUAL, and president and executives of Nagoya university are invited. All
chairmen of oversea branches of NUAL were invited for NUAL 10th ceremony in 2012. NUAL published
Nagoya University Alumni bulletin 10th anniversary.
NUAL invites decennially anniversary graduates under the name of NUAL president Toyoda and president ofNagoya University.
About 500 graduated students attend the homecoming day ceremony each year. Since
decennially anniversary invitation had held six times already, all graduated students would be invited next severalyears. At 10th anniversary of homecoming day in 2014, NUAL published “10th Anniversary of Nagoya
University Homecoming Day memorial photo album – From Nagoya Daigaku to Nagoya University 2014-.”５）Dispatch of Information
NUAL and University have mail letters to all graduated students for asking donation and information fromNagoya University and NUAL once a year since 2005. More than 80 thousands letters send out to graduatedstudents. It has been 10 years since it began, and NUAL came to be recognized. We inform current situation ofuniversity and NUAL, ask for donation or support member of Nagoya University foundation, and inform Nagoya
University credit card.
NUAL issues newsletters twice a year. English summery is added for international students. We have awebpage and twitter to inform our activities.
６）Maintenance of Alumni Directory
Maintenance of alumni directory is necessary as one of alumni activities. Previously, we had used name lists
from each school to make database; however, we transferred operation to university and rebuilt name lists inorder to improve security and quality in 2012. We do not provide the name list on paper, but graduates can3change their current address on internet.
７）Cooperate Lecture and Dinner Party with Gakushikai
NUAL has held lecture meetings randomly. Since 2014, lecture meetings and dinner parties have been held at
Nagoya University that were cosponsored by NUAL and Gakushikai. Vice-president Uichiro Niwa who was aformer Japanese ambassador to China gave a lecture for the first time. Vice-president Miyachi who waspresident of NEXCO Central gave a lecture for the second time. Participants were not only Nagoya University
concerned but also the university graduates society(Gakushikai) and other citizens. The lectures were very
meaningful. NUAL continually holds lectures.
４．Financial Bases
The financial bases of NUAL are founding fund (about 37 million yen), membership fees from support
members, donations, and credit card business. Founding fund was donations from graduated students when
NUAL founded. Founding fund had spent for university support projects every year, but it was not necessary tospend founding fund because of increased revenue recently. Support members are members who pay yearly
membership fee (5,000 yen per year) to support NUAL. Donation is available for reunions of each department
or each laboratory as well as NUAL. President Dr. Toyoda decided this policy.
NUAL began to deal with Nagoya University credit card since 2005 after two-year preparation period. Morethan 130 thousands members joined Nagoya University card membership and it became main income of NUAL.
This alumni young gold card needs no yearly fee and has benefit of overseas travel insurances. NUAL earns aportion of profits from credit card company, and spends them as university support. The revenue recently
increases one million yen every year.
It is a weaker financial basis than famous alumni of private university. Nevertheless, we make effort toimprove our financial base.
５．Challenges for the Future of NUAL
It has been 14 years since NUAL has established. There are several issues that NUAL has. Some of theissues occurred from the beginning and some issues occurred after NUAL established.
1) Expanding financial basis
2) Expanding school support3) Development of human resources for alumni management
The most important issue is to increase members who support activities. There are some members who
support actively in the domestic branches; however those members become grate age. It is important that young
members can support and understand alumni activities. Young members ask what is the benefits of alumni
activities are. We answer that they may find benefits by participating activities. Further strengthen of human
network is necessary in order to become a strong presence alumni.
4) Expand new oversea branches and strengthen of network
NUAL established 15 oversea branches in Asia. It is a future task to establish branches at North America,
Europe, Arab nations and Africa. Moreover, networking of all branches is an issue. We may need to associatewith Gakushikai.
As I mentioned, NUAL has many issues. However, it moves ahead by following the philosophy that set up at
the time of establishment.
(Chief Secretary of NUAL・President of National Institute of Technology, Gifu College ・Professor emeritus of Nagoya
University ・Nagoya University･Dr. of Engineering ･School of Engineering･1975 graduated)(August 2016)4