President’s Position Paper for 2021

To All Staff at Nanzan University

I. Basic Position
In the Bible, in the Letter to the Romans, we can find the following words: “We knowthat all things work together for good” (Rom 8:28, NRSV). If we look back at theprevious year, we cannot help but recall this verse. As a result of the covid-19 virus astate of emergency was declared and other measures have had to been taken which,in the end, have limited our lives in numerous ways. However, even amidst thesedepravations, the experience of the past year has served to reconfirm what is really
essential. We have learned that, no matter how bad the situation is, there are always
things that can be discovered, which will work for our personal good as well as for thegood of the whole of humanity. We have realized that the human person is not merely
an individual, but rather that all of life is deeply connected. In my Position Paper for thelast academic year, I proposed the key phrase “global concern, our contribution”.
Accordingly, let us work together to help those who suffered from the experience of
this past year, overcome hardships, and strive towards the development of futurescholarship and education at our university.
During the previous academic year, Nanzan University received an accreditation
evaluation by an external evaluation institution, the Japan University Accreditation
Association. Many members of the university spared no efforts to advance thepreparations for this evaluation. To all of them, I’d like to express my sincere gratitude.
The evaluation has been on the whole positive, however some areas for further
improvement have also been pointed out. Besides that, we completed the mid-term
evaluation of the Nanzan University Grand Design, which indicated that there are someissues that still have not been sufficiently resolved. Furthermore, because of the covid19 virus, we haven’t been able to sufficiently achieve some of the goals proposed inlast year’s President’s Position. All of this gives us indications for the reforms to be
carried out this coming year.
Finally, this year, we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the foundation of ouruniversity. Due to the influence of the covid-19 virus, the launching of the celebrationof this important milestone has been delayed, and we have been forced to curtail plans
to some extent. Nevertheless, during this historic year I’d like to give thanks for thedevelopment of our university so far, and at the same time, to think together with all of
you about the kind of university that we would like to create as we head towards the1centennial of its foundation. On the occasion of this 75th anniversary, I have proposedcreating an award provisionally called the “Nanzan University Human Dignity Award”.
By honoring people who have contributed to the realization of our educational motto,“For human dignity”, let us return to the foundational principle of Nanzan University
and continue to work towards the fulfilment of our mission as a university.

II. Response to the Pandemic
1. Preventing the Spread of the Covid-19 Virus and Endeavors to Restore In-Person
Classes
Last academic year was a time when we all faced the emergency caused by the
spread of the covid-19 virus and were forced to take various measures in order toprevent the spread of this infection on the campus. At our university, we haveestablished a board for responding to and taking measures against the spread of thecovid-19 virus and we have also created an online class management working group.
In this and other ways, we have taken prompt action to decide about the form ofcarrying out classes, of implementing the entrance examinations, and so on. As aresult, in addition to the WebClass system we had used previously, by introducing
Zoom and our own server for downloading materials, our university was able tomaintain interactive classes online since the first quarter. This new system, used byalmost 800 teachers and around 10,000 students, was kept stable thanks to the efforts
of many university staff. Moreover, the slogan “Efforts to avoid catching the virus,
consideration to prevent the spread of the virus – for human dignity”, proposed by the
Health Center, in addition to periodic information concerning the prevention of theinfection, has also fulfilled an important role in guiding the behavior of each and every
member of the university.
Regarding the form of classes for this academic year, after careful consideration we
have decided to “carry out, in principle, all classes in-person, except for large-scalelectures”. However, there is a limit to the number of seats in the classrooms, and hence
it is possible that courses in which the enrollees exceed a certain number will have to
be conducted online. Furthermore, depending on the situation of the spread of theinfection, a switch-over to online classes isn't excluded either. Every entity organizing
courses, such as faculties and graduate schools, should sufficiently understand thebasic guidelines, consider above all else the preservation of health and safety, andtake adequate measures to prevent the spread of the infection.
2. Improving Online Educational Activities and Working Duties

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Due to Covid-19, it has become difficult for students to come to the Student Affairs
Office or the Office for Academic Affairs to make various applications, and for theteaching and administrative staff to submit and process various documents related totheir work. As a response to that, our university has decided to make administrative
procedures paperless and to further move away from the practice of putting one’s sealon those documents. Although these actions were taken as a response to the virus,
they also serve to promote efficiency in our work. In addition, although the basic formof classes will be in-person, our university has already earned results in progressive
online education such as NU-COIL. In order to accelerate this process, please discuss
measures to anticipate the social change by the recent digital transformation and toadvance even more the high value-addedness of education and efficiency in officeprocedures.

III. Future Planning
1. Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Foundation
Our university will reach the 75th anniversary of its foundation this academic year.
In order to give value to the award tentatively named “Nanzan University Human
Dignity Award”, which I pointed out in the Basic Position, it is important to search forcandidates from the wider society so as to realize the idea of a “global concern” and tolay down criteria for the selection of candidates with a view to concretize the idea of“our contribution”. Please make efforts so that this award that extols the educationalmotto of our university, “For human dignity”, may become known not only to membersof our university but also to a broader audience.
Further, aiming at the project provisionally named “Reiners Central Library Design”,
which is part of the commemoration of the 75th anniversary, it has been decided toraise financial contributions for 5 years starting from this coming April. In addition toPache Square and Flatten Hall, by bestowing on the library the name of Fr. Joseph
Reiners, the founder of the Nanzan School Corporation, it is an important means for
publicizing among the students as well as in the wider local community the history of
our university and the role that the Catholic Society of the Divine Word played in its
establishment. The library isn't used only by our university’s members but there havebeen increasing occasions of it being used by high school students from within the
School Corporation as well as by people from the local community. Therefore, pleaseendeavor to earn wide-ranging support for this effort.
Moreover, more than 200 people will participate in the project of editing the “75-year
History of Nanzan University”. By looking back at the past of our university, please
make this an opportunity for all its members to deepen understanding of the3

“characteristics and attractiveness of Nanzan University” and to share our university’s
identity. Also, please begin discussions about an attractive future vision with the goalof reaching the centenary of Nanzan University’s foundation.
2. Construction of a Stable Financial Basis
The Raymond Renovation Project that accompanied the merging of campuses in
the 2017 academic year has been successfully completed in the 2020 academic year.
This project has been appraised highly by society, winning, for example the award of
the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology named “The 4th
Infra-maintenance Grand Prix (under the auspices of the Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure and Transport)” and “The 30th BELCA Award”. I am deeply grateful to all
who contributed to fund-raising for the Raymond Renovation Project.
In order to preserve and advance our university’s attractiveness, it is indispensable
to build a stable financial basis and to work for the enhancement of education andresearch. In the 2021 academic year, the students’ school fee is going to change. In
addition to this, while making efforts to maintain the student numbers, please continue
to discuss measures to cut expenses, etc. in the sub-committee for reduction of
expenditures and consideration of school fees revision, and put the results of these
discussions into practice. Also, regarding financial contributions, please advancediscussions about an effective method of diversifying our fundraising and making it
known to graduates and companies.
3. Establishment of the Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Graduate
Program in Data Science
This academic year the Faculty of Science and Engineering has been reorganized
and restructured, as a result of which there will be four departments: the newlyestablished Department of Data Science, the Department of Electronics andCommunication Technology, and the Department of Mechanical Engineering and
System Control, along with the existing Department of Software Engineering. Pleaseexamine ways to link this reorganization to the enhancement of the Graduate school.
Data Science is an academic field for which there is a strong demand in society. In
order for the education of undergraduate and graduate students to yield maximum
results, please consider the foundation of a Graduate Program of Data Science within
the Graduate School of Science and Engineering.

IV. Promoting Internationalization

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1. Acceptance of Exchange Students in Faculties and Graduate Schools and a New
Program in the Center for Japanese Studies
In order to explore the needs of ever diversifying learners of Japanese and of thosestudying abroad, as well as to seek new partner schools, from September 2021 we will
start accepting exchange students into faculties and graduate schools. Please begin
active discussions in faculties and graduate schools so that ever more courses(seminars included) can be made available for registration to exchange students whoare in possession of a high working knowledge of Japanese (corresponding to N1-N2).
The Center for Japanese Studies will also be reorganized and in addition to the present
Intensive Japanese Program [hereafter, IJP] (enrollment capacity: 120 students), a
new program, the Modern Japan Program (hereafter, MJP), will commence, whose
enrollment capacity will be 45 students. The IJP is a program aimed at students whowant to study Japanese intensively, whereas the MJP is a program consisting ofstudying basic Japanese while at the same time taking high-quality courses inJapanese area studies, conducted in English, together with Japanese students.
Through the establishment of the MJP we aim at promoting educational and crosscultural exchange between the students of our faculties/ graduate schools and CJS
students. With the same purpose in view, in the respective faculties and graduate
schools please actively organize “open subjects” so that CJS students can take them.
2. Invigoration of International Exchange through the New International Student
Dormitory
In February 2022, the new international students residence (hereafter, newinternational dormitory) will be completed and, from April of the next academic year,
we will start accepting students for it. This new international dormitory that is locatedat the northern side of the campus bears the name of the founder of the Society of theDivine Word, St. Arnold Janssen, thus called “Nanzan University Janssen International
Residence”. The new international dormitory is a crucial part of our university’s
promotion of internationalization and, therefore, it should be a place for ever stronger
advancement of the acceptance of foreign students. Moreover, through theenhancement of educational functions, the new international dormitory will offer achance for Japanese students to learn alongside foreign students. In other words, thegoal of the new international dormitory is to “provide a place for residents of different
value systems to live and work together and to educate people capable of being active
across borders”.
In order to realize this goal, new educational programs will be needed. For thatreason, we will create a program aimed at all students residing in the dormitory, which
can be carried out by cooperating between international and Japanese students. In
5order to guarantee the quality of the educational program, under the lead of the Center
for International Affairs there will be a person in charge, tentatively called the Janssen
International Residence Advisor, or other resident assistants who will give advice tothe participants and perform feedback. There aren't many international education
programs of this type in the Tōkai region, hence, please publicize actively theeducational aspect of the new international dormitory, not only towards those who areinterested in international education, but also among applicants to the university andparents who look for personal growth through extracurricular activities.
3. Strengthening of the COIL-type Classes
During the previous academic year, affected by the Covid-19 crisis, movement
throughout the world was severely restricted. In this regard, our university has
maintained a vital international exchange through the project adopted in the 2018
academic year called “The Inter-University Exchange Project: Support for theFormation of Exchange between Universities especially in the U.S. Using a COIL-styleof Education”. In fact, I recently also had one COIL-style course conducted together
with the University of Denver. The discussions between students of both universities
were animated, and in that way I could fully realize the possibility of COIL-style classes.
Looking towards the future, please further develop this initiative. Particularly, we haveadopted the goal of increasing the number of COIL-style courses to 48 subjects by the2022 academic year. Since the characteristic COIL-style subjects contribute also toadmission promotion, aiming at achieving this goal, please take advantage of the helpof the NU-COIL support team and actively introduce COIL-style classes in the various
faculties and graduate schools.
4. Further Promotion of International Cooperation between Universities
The number of universities and institutions with whom we have concluded
agreements on exchange of students has reached 115 universities in 33
countries/regions as of the end of the 2020 academic year. The “Vision forInternationalization of Nanzan University” drawn up in the 2015 academic year
foresees reaching agreements with around 130 universities by the end of the 2027
academic year, which is the final year of the Grand Design. During the previous
academic year, due to the influence of the Covid-19 crisis, we haven’t been able toincrease the number of partner universities as intended, and so please strive to search
for more partner universities, while at the same time invigorating the university’s
characteristics as well as the distinguished features of the region, and continuing todevelop programs that appear attractive to partner universities.

65. Continuation of Internationalization by Obtaining External Funds such as the Projectfor Strengthening the Universities’ World Development PowerThe “Project for Strengthening the Universities’ World Development Power [Latin
America]” (LAP: Sophia-Nanzan Latin America Program) that we were carrying out incooperation with Sophia University was concluded last academic year, and it received
an extremely good evaluation from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Scienceand Technology. The platform that has been created through LAP will continue as the
LAP (Late August Pre-sessional) course of the Center for Japanese Studies summer
program. For the future as well, please advance our university’s internationalization
through acquisition of external funds such as the “Project for Strengthening the
Universities’ World Development Power”.

V. Education and Research
1. Flexible Response of Education/Research amidst the Covid-19 Crisis
The 2020 academic year saw an enormous change in operating methods ofscholarly conferences and symposia due to the global pandemic. Many academic
conferences were held online and the opportunity for the teaching staff to attend themphysically decreased markedly. In addition to that, the use of budget for research trips
also decreased considerably. By diverting research funds for other purposes, please
use the budget effectively.
Since libraries outside the university were closed, it became difficult to consult
materials, traveling abroad was restricted, and the whole of research activity faced
obstacles. In regard to classes as well, since overseas fieldwork and other short-term
training programs abroad were all cancelled, please actively introduce COIL-styleclasses. Research activity in the graduate school has also greatly suffered. Throughunderstanding precisely what kind of impact is being experienced in various faculties
and graduate schools, please endeavor to keep this impact to a minimum.
2. Reflecting on the Results of the Accreditation Evaluation
In the 2020 academic year our university received an evaluation by the Japan
University Accreditation Association. Its results were positive, however, some points
that need improvement have been indicated. Therefore, all members of the university
should share an awareness of these problems. Also, under the guidance of theCommittee for Internal Quality Assurance, please draw up a plan for improvement anddedicate yourselves to the reform oriented towards 2024, which is the year in which7we have to submit an Improvement Report to the Japan University Accreditation
Association.
3. Introduction of 100-minute Classes
From the 2021 academic year, 100-minute classes will be introduced; therefore,
discuss in FD sessions and on other occasions the best way for students to participate
even more actively in classes. One of the points to be discussed is also how to utilize
the experience of e-learning which has been accomplished thanks to online classes.
By introducing 100-minute classes, each subject will consist in principle of 14 sessions,and the school year will thus have more time to spare. Therefore, use it effectively, forexample, by participating in short-term study abroad, internships and extracurricular
activities in the case of students, or by putting the time towards the engagement ininvestigation and research in the case of the teaching staff.
4. Promoting the Open-access System
In the 2020 academic year, our university established the “Nanzan University Policyof Open Access”. This policy has been developed so as to contribute to further
scientific advancement through guaranteeing free access to research results fromwithin and outside the university, and at the same time, to promote disclosure of
information as well as to fulfill the responsibility of explanation towards society, and toeffectively and actively return research results to society. Degree theses are alreadymade publicly accessible, but please make efforts so that past research findings
published in journal articles are also made widely available.
5. Development and Strengthening of the “Nanzan International Certificate”
In our university there are around 70 subjects that can be studied in English andthat are called “International subject category”. As is generally known, if one obtains
24 or more credits from among these subjects, the Nanzan International Certificate isissued as a proof that the person has acquired international skills at the university.
Until now we have put effort into the development of this certificate, with the Office for
Academic Affairs playing a central role. In cooperation with various faculties, the Officefor International Affairs etc., please strive even more for the enhancement of thissystem so that the Nanzan International Certificate can be attractive to students, as,for example, a university-approved qualification that may be effectively used in job
hunting and going on to graduate school.
6. Continuous Engagement in Obtaining External Research Funds
8External research funds such as the Scientific Research Grant-in-aid are an
indispensable basis for accomplishing solid research. This academic year too, please
continue aiming to actively obtain such funds. Especially through collaboration withvarious researchers and institutions within and outside the university, try to make that
research a foothold for interdisciplinary research projects that would correspond to thedemands of society.
7. Review of the Harassment Consultation System
Our university has for a long time attempted to respond systematically to the
problem of harassment. In recent years, the types of consultations have become more
complex, and from June 2020, strengthening of harassment prevention policies in theworkplace has been stipulated by law. In order to respond to this situation, pleaseenhance even more the harassment consultation system and construct a mechanism
for classification of cases and giving adequate advice.

VI. Entrance Examinations and Public Relations
1. The 2021 Entrance ExaminationsFirst of all, I’d like to express my joy over the fact that we were able to carry out
without any problem the whole schedule of entrance exams by implementing measures
for the prevention of the spread of the covid-19 virus. In the 2021 “General Entrance
Examination” and the “Unified Entrance Examination” (Individual Academic Ability-type& Combined with the University Entrance Common Test-type), the total number ofapplicants was 17,362, which represents a decrease of 1,358 with respect to the18,720 applicants from the previous year. Combined with the number of applicants
through the University Entrance Common Test-types (first application period: 3subjects & 5-subjects type, and second application period), the overall number ofstudents applying for admission through these 3 principal test-types decreased by 505
in comparison with the 2020 number, which was 22,396, resulting in a total of 21,891
applicants. Although one can imagine that the main factor was the covid-19 virus, it isour urgent task to analyze in detail the causes for this decrease and to link the results
to an appropriate response.

2. Covid-19 and Public Relations

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Admission promotion activities have been severely restricted due to Covid-19. Morethan half of the planned expositions and consultation sessions for high school students
were cancelled, and also the Open Campus, which is the biggest event to transmit theattractiveness of our university, had to be realized online. On top of that, explanatory
meetings aimed at high school teachers and tours through the campus were cancelled,
and dispatching of lecturers for high school visits was also carried out on a muchsmaller scale. Since we have publicized so far the attractiveness of our university
focusing on direct in-person contact, it is a fact that we haven’t had sufficient knowhow as to how to perform promotion activities online oriented towards a large, indefinite
number of high-school students. Since we cannot expect the Covid-19 crisis to finish
any time soon, please discuss effective admission promotion activities using online
tools.
At the end of the previous academic year, the final report of the “University Strategic
Promotion Working Group” was submitted and the flexible usage of budgets due tocooperation between various offices and sharing of information, as well as the resultsof the slimming down of office work and optimization of labor have been confirmed.
Also the division between the University PR and Admission promotion, which was
ambiguous in the past, has been made clear. Please reflect thoroughly on the
proposals of this report and, looking to the future, actively advance the publicizing
activities of the whole university, while cooperating closely among various offices.
3. Expansion of the System of Acceptance to the Graduate School
Through the globalization of human activity and technological innovation we arefacing many different new social problems, such as world-wide environmental issues
and issues of infectious diseases. In order to cultivate people capable of contributing
to resolving these problems, it is necessary to improve even more the quality of school
education, including the university, and for that reason we must also further enhanceresearch and education in the graduate school. Especially considering our university’s
educational goal, in each graduate school it is necessary more than ever to strengthen
cooperation with various institutions outside the university, not to mention othergraduate schools, research institutes and centers within the university, and at the sametime, to raise interest in these social problems through research and to cultivate wideranging human resources that will be able to contribute to problem-solving. Therefore,
in the graduate school, please actively engage in accepting new students not only fromwithin faculty graduates but also from among international students and members ofsociety. For example, actively consider also in other graduate schools the possibilityof introducing the acceptance of students from faculties with an early-graduation
system, which has been practiced in the Graduate School of Law and in the Graduate
School of Social Sciences (Graduate program in policy studies). Further, discuss the10system of accepting working adult students as credited auditors and to make them able
to complete the master’s program in 1 year.

VII. Career Support
Last year, just when job-hunting activities were reaching their fullest extent, the stateof emergency was officially declared and major restrictions were imposed on thestudent’s job-hunting, as well as on the guidance and support from the Career Support
office. Students had limited opportunities to gain information about the business world
and the selection of applicants, and the announcement of unofficial decisions about
employment in the companies was also delayed. In order to respond to students who
were experiencing anxiety because of this irregular situation, in June the Career
Support Office checked the situation of all fourth-year students regarding their jobhunting activities by phone. On top of that, the on-campus explanatory session aboutcompanies that was planned for March 2020 could not be realized and, therefore, after
ascertaining the schedules of employment in individual companies, this information
was made known directly to the students. On the other hand, by implementing ondemand broadcasts more students than in previous years were able to participate invarious on-campus events, such as the job-hunting courses that were carried out
online. Moreover, we could see that students who had experience with internships
began to collect information on the business world and companies at an early stage,
with the result that they could proceed with their job-hunting activity relatively smoothly.
This academic year too, it can be expected that the difficult situation is going tocontinue, and therefore please examine even more effective ways of support for jobhunting activities.
In the 2019 academic year, the Career Support Committee and Job SearchCommittee were united, and the Career Support Committee was established. Bymeans of this, a consistent career-forming program has become realizable, lastingfrom the early years of university up to graduation. Looking towards the future, please
explore how and what kind of a medium- to long-term career support plan to createthat would include strengthening the relationship between graduates and alumni, as
well as what the cooperation should look like with academic advisors in the various
faculties who spend much time with students, how to promote the use of IR, and soforth.

VIII. The University’s Role in the Local Community and the Strengthening of
Various Means of Cooperation
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Contributing to the development of the regional and local community is an important
step towards solving world-wide problems, precisely what we mean by “global concern,
our contribution”. Until now, our university has engaged in coexistence andcollaboration with various stakeholders such as research institutions inside and outsideof Japan, with the industrial world and municipalities, etc. Regarding the industrial
world, within the Nanzan Challenge Project inaugurated in the 2017 academic year,
since the last academic year an “industry-university cooperation project” has been
initiated, and through cooperation with Ieda Confectionery Company, Inc., whose CEO
is one of our graduates, we have been involved in developing and selling so-called“pongashi”, a kind of puff candy that uses foodstuffs from Ethiopia. In the last academic
year, due to Covid-19, activity in Africa had to be postponed. However, this academic
year, the plan is to continue this activity. Further, in cooperation with the Nagoya TaxAccountant Association, from the 2021 academic year the creation of a new endowed
chair is planned.
As far as cooperation between universities is concerned, in the 2021 academic year
the School of Law (Graduate Program in Legal Practice), together with the Graduate
Program in Law of Nagoya University, will co-organize one subject. Our university isalso the presiding school of the Japan Catholic University Federation and currently is
the representative of Japan on the board of trustees of the Association of Christian
Universities and Colleges in Asia (ACUCA). Also, through the Association of Southeast
and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU) and the International
Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU), please deepen the cooperation between
Christian universities all around the world.
As I suggested in the 2020 Position Paper, the Nanzan School Corporation had
announced in the 2008 academic year the “Climate Declaration of Nanzan School
Corporation” and thus paid close attention to environmental problems from an earlystage. Through research and educational activity in our university, I would like every
member to think about what can be done in order to put those ideas into practice.

Robert KISALA
President
Nanzan University

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