Globally Engaged
Tohoku University
A Designated National University

Nationally Recognised,
Globally Engaged
Tohoku University has been engaging with society since

future; life in space; and a university that supports

it was founded in 1907. That commitment has growncommunities.

stronger since the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake.

The chart on page 5 outlines the ways in which theseThanks to the generous support of many people

30 projects share many of the aims of the United Nations'around the globe, we have been able to restore ourSustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

research facilities that were heavily damaged by the

Another milestone was set last November withdisaster. In return, we have been constantly asking

the release of our Tohoku University Vision 2030. This

implementation of the B-U-B model of industry-academia

ourselves what the university can do to assist others who

illustrates what the university is aspiring to be in 2030

collaboration for open innovation.

have experienced hardship.

and deﬁnes the medium to long term core strategies

We will never waver in our commitment to creating

and concrete actions needed to get us there. Tohoku

value as a globally engaged university. As a proudthat I cannot pursue my research without the support of

University s founding principles continue to be relevant inmember of the Tohoku University community, I am verysociety. Of course, I am not the only one to feel that way

guiding this future ambition: Research First, Open Doors,

excited to collaborate locally and globally to ensure a̶ a sense of gratitude and connection with society is

and Practice-Oriented Research and Education.

path to a bright future.

Many years of research in spintronics has shown meshared across Tohoku University as a core element of ouridentity.
In 2015 we launched an initiative to become a center

As a speciﬁc course of action, we have formulated
19 core strategies to drive the four main componentsof Vision 2030: Education, Research, Co-creation, andof research with social impact, seeking solutions for theGovernance Reform. These strategies are embodied inmost pressing challenges facing contemporary society.

key projects such as the launch of the Tohoku University

We have embarked on 30 research projects for solving

College of Creative Endeavor; the establishment of

key challenges in seven areas: a sustainable environment;

the Core Research Cluster enveloping our university's

a healthy population; safety and security; connecting

four key research areas: materials science, spintronics,

Hideo Ohno is an internationally renowned physicist in the ﬁeld ofwith the global community; a responsive and prosperous

next-generation medicine, and disaster science; andspintronics and has been president of Tohoku University since 2018.

Globally Engaged

January 2019

Hideo Ohno, President of Tohoku University

02

Tohoku University: A Designated National University

03

Tohoku University's SDGs:
A Safe, Secure and Sustainable Society
Research with social impact is the umbrella term forcommunities recover from the disaster, we establishedinterdisciplinary research projects based on Tohoku

the International Research Institute of Disaster Science

University's ﬁelds of strength, which aim to contribute to(IRIDeS) one month after the disaster and launched eighta sustainable future. Sustainability refers not only to thepriority projects to achieve a safe, and secure society.

conservation or recycling of resources and preservation

Since 2011 Tohoku University has increased itsof the environment, but also to the resolution of

focus on society through post-disaster reconstruction

economic and societal issues. Research projects initiatedand various research projects. This led to establishingby Tohoku University are closely connected to the 17

research with a social impact in 2015. These actions

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) announced inare an important part of Tohoku University's position

2015 by the U.N.

as a Designated National University. Collaborating with

Tohoku University's own SDGs toward the realization

partners and communities both at home and abroad,of a sustainable society were initiated following the Greatwe will continue our work toward a sustainable andEast Japan Earthquake of March 2011. In order to help

prosperous future for all.

Timeline of R&D related

November 2017

to sustainability

March 2015

September 2015

UN World Conference
on Disaster Risk Reduction

UN Sustainable
Development Goals

Basics of Education & Research

Fields Contributing
to Sustainable Development

Illness
Prevention

Resource
Protection

Equal
Opportunities

Conservation

ClimateChangeEducation

Human Security (Measuresagainst Poverty, Pollution &Conﬂicts)...and many others

Globally Engaged

2

2011

1

March 11, 2011
The Great Eastern Japan
Earthquake

2015

Promotion of Tohoku
University's Activities

Safety, Security &Sustainability

Towards Sustainability
and Prosperity

Community
Collaborations

April 2011

July 2015

June 2017

International ResearchInstitute of Disaster
ScienceResearch with a social
impactSelection as a
Designated National
University

A4 Recycling

Corresponding UN SDGs

A2 Synergy with Nature

B1 Homeostasis

B4 Oral Hygiene

B2 Personalized
Medicine

B5 Medicine for the
PeopleC3 Overcoming
Infectious Diseases

Safety & Security

C2 Infrastructure for
the Future

C4 Radiation Safety andSocietyD

D1 Japanese Studies

D4 Future ofInformation Society

D2 Cross-Cultural
Dialogues

D5 Manufactory

D3 Value of Information

E1 Prosperity

E3 Hope from Tohoku

E2 Longevity

E4 New Food
Production

F1 Innovation from LifeF2 Space Exploration

G0 Meaning of
Academia

G3 People, Law &Politics

G1 Principle of
Education

G4 Fair SocietyLife in SpaceG

04

A1 Climate Change

C1 Disaster Risk
ReductionF

Development of Tohoku
University's SDGs

A3 Energy

C

A Responsive& Prosperous
FutureDisaster Risk Reduction
Strategies

A0 Environmental
ValuesB3 Zero Dementia

Connectingwith Global
Communities

2017

Project Logo, Number & Title

Health &Well-Being

E
3

EnergyEfﬁciency

B

Further advancements of
Tohoku University's activities
for sustainable development

UN Academic Impact
Support of Principle 9 (Sustainability)

A

Creating a
Sustainable
Environment

2030

November 2011

Renewable
EnergyResearch Area

Contributing to the realizationof a sustainable society
through Tohoku University's
own SDGs

First World Bosai Forum

Tohoku University’s Sustainable Development Goals

Academia
Supporting
Communities

G2 Societal Role of
ScienceTohoku University: A Designated National University05

A Hub for Creative Innovation

Innovative ultralow power

A Science Park in the City of Trees

Born from the Faculty of Science

technologies for AI and IoT

Tohoku University began when its Faculty of
Science was ofﬁcially established in 1907. There

As the world enters the AI era, many science-

Tohoku University is working on a new initiative for collaborating with society:were no buildings at the campus at the time

based organizations are pursuing software-a hub for creative innovation at the new campus extension at Aobayama.

and several professors were based in Europe so

focused AI research. At Tohoku University, AI

the ﬁrst faculty meeting was held in Gottingen

research has been centered on hardware. AI

instead of Sendai.

systems require vast memory resources to store

In 1922, Albert Einstein visited Sendai with his

the enormous volumes of data that go intowife. He gave a talk at Tohoku University stating,their learning processes. However, our existing"Sendai is a city well suited for research and Tohoku

memory technologies cannot store and retrieve

University is and will be a force to be reckonedthat information without using excessive amounts

with. In 2018, Sendai City was ranked 90th byof electricity.
Since its founding, Tohoku University has consistently

university organizations such as the Ofﬁce of Cooperative

offered groundbreaking research generating innovative

Research and Development, Tohoku Techno Archand progressive developments across many domains.

(a Technology Licensing Organisation), and Tohoku

This model of research remains very much alive in the

University Venture Partners (a venture capital ﬁrm) to the

21st century. The Aobayama Campus extension, which

campus extension, creating an all-in-one operational

opened in 2017 on a site spanning 81 hectares, will be an

structure to facilitate full-scale collaboration with industry.

advanced platform for upcoming projects; a science parkIn addition, we will strengthen our framework forfocused on supporting a sustainable future.

a promising solution to use in ultralow power
memory, establishing a collaborative research
consortium to serve as an innovation ecosystem
for spintronics research. The consortium isspearheaded by our Center for Innovative
Integrated Electronic Systems (CIES), headedby Professor Tetsuo Endoh, a pioneer ofcatering to the advanced open innovation needs ofsophisticated 3D-integrated memory.

The campus extension is being developed tobusinesses. For each domain of technology, we willencourage collaboration between innovation-oriented

establish a consortium designed to enable diverse

businesses of all sizes. The Science Park Zone will beplayers ̶ from established companies to startups ̶ to

Tohoku University s own style of innovation ecosystem,

effectively emphasize their respective roles. Together,

operating not as a B2B platform, but as a business-these consortia will form the open ecosystem for new

university-business (B-U-B) forum where our university

innovation, constantly producing seeds of innovation. We

plays the core, conveying role. Collaborations will all

will establish rules for large-scale co-creation projects infocus on a shared vision for a sustainable future.

competitive areas, as a step towards commercialization of

There are several steps to building this innovation

Tohoku University's New Extension of Aobayama Campus
CIES
Agricultural Field

innovative seeds emerging from university research.

ecosystem. The ﬁrst is to create a center for industry

Proof of the high level of open innovation atcollaboration under one roof. We will relocate certain

Tohoku University can be found in our Center for

Nature Index in its list of Top 200 Science Cities.

That's why we have turned to spintronics asScience Park Zone

Innovative Integrated Electronic Systems (CIES). Globally

Graduate School of
Agriculture

International Research Institute ofDisaster Science

Aobayama Commons

University House

Graduate School of
Science

Graduate School ofEnvironmental Studies
Student Services

recognized as a leading center for cutting-edge open
innovation in ultralow power technologies utilizing AI

Cooperative Research Square

Graduate School ofEngineering

and IoT applications, CIES has produced tremendous
achievements that earned the Prime Minister s Award forAchievements in Private-Public Innovations in 2016.

Planned Site of Next-generation
Synchrotron Radiation Facility

CIES has paved the way towards further strategic
open innovation that will encompass other realmsof technology, including next-generation medicine,materials science, tough AI/intelligent robotics, quantum
computing and next-generation synchrotron radiation,
among others.
All this is part of Tohoku University's evolving

Animal Research Farminnovation ecosystem, one that promises to bring
important results and swift progress on the exciting roadahead.

Globally Engaged

06

Tohoku University: A Designated National University

07

Our Role as a Designated National University
Japan's first next-generation synchrotron radiation facility to be

A Leading University in Innovation andAcademic Excellence

constructed at Aobayama Campus

In June 2017, Tohoku University was selected as one of the first three Designated National Universities (DNU)

by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. This title is conferred on national
universities in recognition of their excellent capabilities and potential for world-leading education and research.

In July 2018 the Ministry of Education, Culture,functions of materials subjected to various methods.

Sports, Science and Technology announced its

The facility is projected to be operational arounddecision to establish Japan's ﬁrst-ever next-

2023. With this exciting new facility, the Aobayama

generation synchrotron radiation facility at theCampus extension is expected to attract top level

new extension of Aobayama Campus. A coalition

researchers.

of ﬁve organizations ̶ SLiT-J, Miyagi Prefectural
Government, Sendai Municipal Government, Tohoku
University and Tohoku Economic Federation ̶ wasselected to partner with the National Institutes for
Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology

Collaborate. Innovate. Activate.

(QST) to implement this project.
The facility will feature a huge circular

Virtuous cycle: The four main priorities of Vision 2030

particle accelerator measuring 325-425 meters incircumference and 100-135 meters in diameter. The
soft X-ray radiation generated by the accelerator will
be used to perform observations for visualizing the

Vision 4

Vision 1

Governance Reform

We will foster and nurture the next

modern, dynamic approach to research

Education
generation of leaders to have a

Governance reforms that reﬂect aand education.

creative, global mindset and be

Vision 2

Research
As a leading comprehensive

Japanese Studies: A Fresh Approach

university, we will build knowledge
through excellence in research andcapable of solving problems in thesepromote innovation while pioneering

rapidly changing times.

new academic ﬁelds.

Studying Japan through a multidisciplinary lensVision 3

Co-Creation

2019 sees the opening of a new, multidisciplinary

in conjunction with overseas institutions to provide

department at Tohoku University. The newa multidisciplinary ﬁeld to address contemporary

We will work with our wide range ofDepartment of Japanese Studies and associatedissues facing society. Including researchers inpartners to ﬁnd innovative solutions

International Joint Graduate Program in JapaneseWestern Studies, the GPJS aims to deconstruct theStudies means students and staff will havestandard diachronic view within traditional Japanese

opportunities to collaborate and research in ways

Studies and allow for synchronic research across

not previously possible.

disciplines and regions.

to global problems, to improve theIndustry
Co-Creation

lives of those in our community andbeyond.

Community
Collaboration

A collaborative project of the Humanities

At the same time, the Graduate School of

Faculties, the International Joint Graduate

Arts and Letters (GSAL) will include three new

Program in Japanese Studies (GPJS) will operate

departments from April 2019: Japanese Studies,
Global Humanities, and Integrated Human Sciences.
Various Japan-related research cultivated in the

As a Designated National University, Tohoku University

funding and necessary support for interdisciplinary

aims to be a leader in creation and transformation. Thisadvanced research and education, International Joint

requires developing world-class knowledge throughGraduate Programs, as well as graduate student research

excellent education and research. To achieve our goal, we

and study. In research, we established Core Research

will ﬁrst focus on four core activities: education, research,

Clusters in our four leading research ﬁelds and an

co-creation (partnerships with industry and community),

international research cluster of ﬁve additional ﬁelds.

and governance reforms.

In co-creation we ve developed a center for industry-

As of August 2018, several projects had been put into
action. In education, we launched a program to provide

Globally Engaged

GSAL will form the Department of Japanese Studies,offering a broad multidisciplinary perspective on
Japan . The newly introduced major of Innovative
Japanese Studies, lead by faculty from Japanand abroad, will enable students to conduct
comprehensive inquiries into Japanese society,history and culture.

academia collaboration and the Science Park at our new
Aobayama campus extension.

08

Tohoku University: A Designated National University

09

Four Centers for World-class Research

Further Collaboration

Core Research Cluster

Tohoku University and University College London

Aiming for the pinnacle of scientific research
Tohoku was made a Designated National University due to its expertise in four scientific fields.

To further those strengths, we have established four on-campus centers of collaborative research that arecollectively referred to as the Core Research Cluster.

Materials Science

Spintronics

Functional and structural materials
are in high demand

New platform technologies
for AI & IoT

Our hub for materials science research seeks to create

Tohoku University is at the forefront of spin-centeredsustainable planet. Scientists are developing solutionsfor Spintronics Research Network (CSRN) and theinnovations that will contribute to building afor two increasingly important areas of global need:high-efficiency energy conversion and storage

materials (functional materials) and highly reliablesocial infrastructural materials (structural materials).

At the same time, this hub is expanding the horizonsof materials science by leveraging the strengths of

the Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR)

science through the partnership between the Center
Graduate Program in Spintronics. It is focused on

creating science and technology to support AI and IoT
into the future, including ultralow-power computers,
ultrahigh-sensitivity sensors, ultrahigh-capacity data
storage and ultrahigh-efficiency thermoelectric
technologies.

in mathematics driven materials science research.

Next-generation Medicine

Disaster Science

Exploring AI and medical data scienceto advance medical genomics

Establishing the disciplineand creating resilient communities

Tohoku University's Advanced Research Center for

Our disaster science research is helping to establish

Innovations in Next-Generation Medicine (INGEM) is
contributing to the development of next-generation
medicine founded on personalized healthcare andprevention.

The Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank

Organization's (ToMMo) integrated biobank of 150,000

A delegation from Tohoku University, led byfor its academic and industry partners: "As aPresident Hideo Ohno, was in the UK for auniversity leading new creation and change, we"Partnership Kickoff" event with University College

are undertaking organizational reform to promote

London (UCL) in October 2018. President Ohno

cross-sectional integrated research that goes

met with UCL President and Provost Michael Arthur

beyond the barriers of undergraduate departments

to discuss further developing collaborative links

and graduate schools. We are promoting research

between the two universities.

to solve social problems."

Provost Arthur highlighted UCL's longstanding

disaster science as a new discipline. The research

integrates the phases of disaster management cycle
theory (pre-investment/prevention; emergency
response; mitigation: recovery/reconstruction;

resilient community development) with the four

realms of science (human, social, practical and natural)

Tohoku University and UCL then renewed

connection with Japan, which dates back to thetheir 2013 academic exchange agreement, adding

1860s when Japanese students known as thedata science and higher education to the existing

Choshu Five and Satsuma 19 deﬁed a Japanese

partnerships in life science, materials science

travel ban and risked capital punishment to study

and disaster science. Some 50 academics fromat UCL. He also emphasized the shared ideals of

the 2 institutions participated in joint workshops

being globally and outwardly engaged: "Global

across ﬁve academic ﬁelds: disaster science,

partnerships like the one we're developing withneuroscience, materials science and spintronics,

Tohoku demonstrate how higher education candata science and higher education.

play a part in solving pressing world challenges.""For the past ﬁve years, our partnership with

President Ohno echoed the sentiment, while

UCL has been one of our most productive in thethat are associated with those phases.

acknowledging historical similarities between the

UK in terms of paper co-authorship and researcher

two institutions, such as being their respective

mobility" said President Ohno, who attended

to pursue research driven by AI and other forms ofexperiences and lessons from the Great Eastern Japancountry's third national university and the ﬁrst

the workshop on spintronics. "With this new

to accept female students. He spoke of Tohoku

agreement and the workshops here, I look forward

help shed-light on relationships between diseases

the development of safe and resilient communities by

University's new status as a Designated National

to seeing what else we can achieve together."participants, provides INGEM with genomic and otherbiological information, as well as clinical information
medical data science. It also conducts research toand hereditary/environmental factors and applies thefindings to the implementation of clinical studies.

Globally Engaged

The university is uniquely placed to share

Earthquake. As a comprehensive university it supports
bringing together expertise and the latest research in

University Corporation and what that means

disaster risk reduction from around the world.

10

Tohoku University: A Designated National University

11

Skills for the 21st century

International Joint Graduate Programs

Nurturing Students to Become Creative
Members of Society• The Spintronics program provides education that

Cultivating Sophisticated Talent to Lead the WorldFor more than a century, Tohoku University has encouraged students to engage with their communities,

using their knowledge and skills to make a difference. So that we can continue doing this in an increasingly
globalized world facing diverse challenges, we are adding a variety of new dimensions to our system of
education. Here are our three flagship projects.

University Houses

Deeper understanding ofJapanese culture:
Communal livingwith Japanese peers• The program in Materials Science broadly covers

spans from the classical to the quantum and fromthe fundamentals and application of techniques formathematics to application.

creating, analyzing, and evaluating materials, with afocus on metallurgy.

• On the Earth and Environmental Sciences program
students learn about the Earth's interior and surface,• The program in Resilience and Safety Studies, as athe oceans and interplanetary space, and how to

hub of disaster and environmental sciences, combines

apply scientiﬁc knowledge to beneﬁt society and theinsights from medicine, engineering, agriculturalenvironment.

science, the humanities, and social sciences to tackle
challenges ranging from disasters and environmental• The Data Science program focuses on creative

College of Creative Endeavor

destruction to market issues and economic crises.

problem-solving, data analysis, and technologicalinnovation.

Educating future minds:
A 21st century approach

Through programs such as these, our university continues• The Physics for the Universe program provides

to fulﬁll its commitment to nurturing high-level experts

education in the physics of the universe from its origin

who can truly make a difference locally and globally.

to today.
Today's world is increasingly marked by globalization• The Neuro Global program offers a cross-sectionaland by the rising importance of AI, big data, and IoT,

curriculum in neuroscience, spanning genes, genomes,

spawning the need for disruptive innovation to take us

molecules, cells, systems, brain imaging, behavior andbeyond the limits of our established systems. To better

environmental response.

equip students in this era of great change, we arelaunching a new education program in 2019 ̶ the Tohoku• The Integration of Mechanical Systems program

University College of Creative Endeavor. The program

focuses on the production and development ofwill offer practical education under three contemporary

integrated systems that serve challenging applications.

tracks: Global, AI/Data, and Entrepreneurship.

• The program in Japanese Studies provides students

The Global track draws on the Tohoku University
Global Leader Program (TGL) established in 2013. The AI/
Data track adds new courses in the practical application

with the skills to tackle contemporary issues byoffering broad knowledge ranging from eastern/western classics to today's digital culture.

of AI and data science fundamentals and applications
to the existing curriculum. This track will explore a wide
range of topics, including legal issues, social challenges,
human values and other humanities-related content. The
Entrepreneurship track will include internships and otherTotal Number

University House (UH) Aobayama opened at the newforms of engaged learning for skills to launch a new

Aobayama Campus extension in October 2018. The

business, and become an innovator with inspired thinking

dormitory offers a similar number of rooms to Japaneseand a can-do attitude.

Doctoral Program（Female）
711

and international students as a way to help students

the ﬁfth such dormitory to be built at Tohoku University
since construction began in 2007, joining UH Sanjo I,
II and III, and UH Katahira. Together they have a total

1,953

AI/Data
track

Entrepreneurship
track

Challenge

Ch

an

ge

e
Cr

at

io

1,048

n

11%

6%

Master Course/
Master s Program/
Profession Degree
Program（Male）

system Japan's largest communal living space for

Globally Engaged

4%

Master Course/
Master s Program/
Profession Degree
Program（Female）

capacity of 1,720 making the Tohoku University House
Japanese and international students.

Undergraduate（Male）
8,005 45%

Doctoral Program（Male）

from other countries make meaningful and genuine
connections with Japanese students and culture. This is

Number of Students

3,231

18%

Number ofUndergraduate /Graduate Students
17,824

Undergraduate（Female）
2,876

16%

Categories

Student Quota

Number of International Students

NumberofStudents

Japanese
Government
Scholarships

Private Means

Research Students/Special
Auditing Students/Special ResearchStudents/Credited Auditors/
Undergraduate Preparatory
Students/Intensive Japanese
Language Program

Subtotal

Undergraduate Students

10,04010,881(2,876)

56

149

205

Graduate Students(Master's Program/
Profession Degree
Program)

3,838

4,279(1,048)

120

657

777

Graduate Students(Doctoral Program)

2,581

2,664(711)

188

476

664

Subtotal

351

192

16,45917,824(4,635)

364

1,282

1,646

Attached School40

28(17)----

Research Institutes

-

-

-

-

-

21

OthersGrand Total

Globaltrack（as of May 1, 2018）

543

-

-

-

-

-

27

16,49917,852(4,652)

364

1,282

1,646

591

※( ) indicates the number of female students. ※"Private Means" include foreign government funds.

12

Tohoku University: A Designated National University

13

Sendai: The City of Trees

Sendai is known as the "City of Trees".
This moniker was inspired by Sendai's
history — originally the capital of the

You'll feel at home before you know it

Date Domain — and by the many trees
and other beautiful vegetation thatgrace the cityscape. Spring in Sendai

fits the quintessential image of Japan
in full bloom and greenery. Sendai isalso known for its warm and welcoming
community. It is a metropolis thatoffers the full Japanese experience

without the stresses that come withlarge city living.

Globally Engaged

14

Tohoku University: A Designated National University

15

Director: Noriko Osumi (Vice President, Tohoku University)

Public Relations Ofﬁce, General Affairs and Planning Department

Editor: Osamu Shimizu (Academic Groove Movement)

Tohoku University

Designer: Masami Furuta (opportune design Inc.)

2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577

Cover photographer: Shunichi Atsumi (SHUN'S)
Translation: Umes Corporation

Published March, 2019 / Copyright: Tohoku University.
Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

English editor: Beth Thomas
Printer: Mochizuki Printing Co., Ltd.

www.tohoku.ac.jp