Functional enhancement through educational reform; Transition from the Department of Engineering to the Department of Science and Engineering
Muroran Institute of Technology has strived to enhance its functions as a national university that focuses on not only regional contribution but also efforts to promote world-class or national-level education and research in specific fields in which it excels.
In terms of education, our university provides students with the opportunity to receive a comprehensive science and engineering education concentrating on natural science and scientific education through its programs. In addition, we are promoting a system in which students in all departments can acquire expertise on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and receive information-related education, thereby pushing forward educational reform aimed at creating a fusion of science, informatics and engineering. To realize this, we have formulated a new curriculum to transform the traditional engineering department with four disciplines into a new science and engineering department with two disciplines. By exercising mobility unique to an institute dedicated to a single faculty, we are developing an educational system capable of responding to social needs promptly and flexibly. More than 30,000 of our graduates currently play an active role in society, indicating that our university has been conducive to fostering and producing a great number of excellent students. To cultivate the kind of technologists required by society, we provide students with an education that enhances their independence and proactivity through active learningbased programs, as well as with classes to understand the traits of individual municipalities under the theme of Hokkaido, thereby identifying and resolving challenges spontaneously.
Furthermore, our university, as a representative in the Hokkaido district, has been implementing the All Hokkaido Project for Job Creation and Attracting Youth as a COC University-led Regional Revitalization Project (COC+) under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. To promote this project, four science and technology universities in Hokkaido and four technical colleges in Hokkaido are cooperating with local governments and industries.
In terms of research, we are aiming for the development of global-level research using regional resources and energy in collaboration with local governments, covering the fields of underground coal gasification (Mikasa City), ship recycling (Muroran City), perilla’s antidementia function and its application in industrial promotion (Shiranuka Town), the practical use of disinfectant against domestic animal infectious diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and avian influenza, as well as information support for a salmon/ trout hatching project using ICT and support for developing urban planning in Hokkaido using big data. We are also aspiring to establish Japan’s highest level research center in the characteristic advanced manufacturing fields in which our university excels, including the aerospace plane and environment/energy material fields.
Under the basic philosophy of “Making Dreams Come True through Creative Science and Technology,” Muroran Institute of Technology is committed to serving as a hub for research and regional revitalization with the aim of responding to the needs of the times and society, fostering internationally accepted high-level engineers and creating innovation.
We look forward to receiving the support and cooperation of all sectors.
