Yasuyuki Imai
A well-known feature of the University of Shizuoka is that you can easily see Mt. Fuji from our campus. And on clear days, you can even see the unique profiles of Mt. Daimugen and Mt. Shomugen in the distance as you descend the slope from the monument in front of our main lecture halls. These mountains, which are around 2,300 meters tall, are part of the Southern Alps and are known for their advanced hiking routes. I often think of these inspiring views when I consider the mission of our university.
What is the proper role of a university? In secondary education like high school, the objective is for students to develop the ability to do what they've been taught. University education in Japan has become increasingly "universalized," with 58% of high school students now going on to university. Under such conditions, I believe that the objective of the university is to help students develop the ability to identify problems, develop methods for addressing them, conduct research using those methods, and then express their own opinions about how such problems can be solved or answered. They can also make an important contribution to society by sharing the creation of this knowledge with people of diverse backgrounds through dialog.
Recently, there have been major improvements in the performance of artificial intelligence (AI), and we are encouraged by experts to focus on how AI can be used to contribute to society. However, the way AI works has not yet been communicated in a way that is clearly understandable to non-specialists. It is symbolic that Professor Geoffrey Hinton of the University of Toronto in Canada, one of the inventors of ChatGPT, has mentioned scientist and novelist as occupations that will not be superseded by AI. Even in Silicon Valley, the part of California that has led the world in developing computer technology, it is well recognized that key roles in AI development have been played by people with an extremely diverse range of abilities.
I want the University of Shizuoka both to fulfill its planned goals and to go beyond them, to foster graduates who are capable of truly flexible thinking—and who also feel truly happy to have attended our university. I want them to experience an education that is as inspiring as the beautiful views from our campus.
What is the proper role of a university? In secondary education like high school, the objective is for students to develop the ability to do what they've been taught. University education in Japan has become increasingly "universalized," with 58% of high school students now going on to university. Under such conditions, I believe that the objective of the university is to help students develop the ability to identify problems, develop methods for addressing them, conduct research using those methods, and then express their own opinions about how such problems can be solved or answered. They can also make an important contribution to society by sharing the creation of this knowledge with people of diverse backgrounds through dialog.
Recently, there have been major improvements in the performance of artificial intelligence (AI), and we are encouraged by experts to focus on how AI can be used to contribute to society. However, the way AI works has not yet been communicated in a way that is clearly understandable to non-specialists. It is symbolic that Professor Geoffrey Hinton of the University of Toronto in Canada, one of the inventors of ChatGPT, has mentioned scientist and novelist as occupations that will not be superseded by AI. Even in Silicon Valley, the part of California that has led the world in developing computer technology, it is well recognized that key roles in AI development have been played by people with an extremely diverse range of abilities.
I want the University of Shizuoka both to fulfill its planned goals and to go beyond them, to foster graduates who are capable of truly flexible thinking—and who also feel truly happy to have attended our university. I want them to experience an education that is as inspiring as the beautiful views from our campus.