Kazuo Oike
Thank you for the kind introduction.
I am Kazuo Oike, the President of Kyoto University.
Let me first express my gratitude, not only for being invited to the International Conference on Science and Technology for Sustainability 2006, but also for the opportunity to speak at this session.
Many learned people in the field of science and technology from Japan and from all over the world have gathered here in Kyoto to share and discuss various topics since the beginning of the conference yesterday.
I am very happy that Kyoto was selected to be the site for this conference. Let me extend a warm welcome to you all. Welcome to Kyoto!
Kyoto is well known as one of the World Heritage cities. However, maybe it is better known now as the city where the Kyoto Protocol on curbing global warming was signed.
Kyoto is a city with long standing tradition and custom, it is also a city that produces innovative new creations.
In that sense, holding this conference here in Kyoto has its real significance.
Now let me introduce Kyoto University from the perspective of social contribution and academic-industrial alliance.
Kyoto University states its mission to sustain and develop its historical commitment to academic freedom and to pursue harmonious coexistence within human and ecological community on this planet.
This means, Kyoto University is actively contributing to the global community by generating world-class knowledge through freedom and autonomy in research that conforms with high ethical standards; and then disseminating the research achievements to the world.
You might say that the theme of this international conference, the establishment of the "Global Innovation Ecosystem," is a part of our mission statement.
At our university, we established the International Innovation Organization （IIO） to promote Academic-Industry-Government Coalition activities in 2005.
IIO is a comprehensive organization that promotes Kyoto University faculty member's cutting-edge research and joint researches with the industrial world and the government. It is also involved in attaining intellectual properties, and the overseeing and cultivation of venture businesses.
One of its main events is the biannual IIO Fair that takes place once in Tokyo and once in Kyoto.
The Fair is designed to deepen the ties with the industrial world by introducing the progress of our faculty member's research projects, and by displaying all the intellectual properties we have in our possession.
We are planning to hold the Fair in Tokyo next week to match the timing with Innovation Japan 2006.
Next, let me give you an example of a science and technology innovation IIO supports.
It is called j.Pod, short for joining Pods.
It is a revolutionary wooden architecture system developed jointly by Professor Kobayashi of the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, together with the Field Science Education and Research Center, and several well-known construction companies.
"j-Pod" is very well built from a constructual and earthquake-proof point; however the point I would like to stress here is that the lumber used to build the j.Pod comes from thinned wood from that region.
The significance of j-Pod's technical development is in the fact that it is contributing to the society by turning university researchers' research achievements into such cultural, economical, and social values as "restoration of a wooden culture," "creation of a sustainable environment," "revitalization of the local industry, and the "development of a disaster resistant city."
As a spillover effect, j.Pod will play an important role in the new international exchange program starting this year. j-Pod on our campus will be the classroom for students coming from 14 major American universities.
An another good example on the Academia ?industry collaboration activities is the "Eco-friendly organic electric device/materials project".
This project is the largest scale in Japan ever, over 10M$ in total budget for five years, and has unique characteristics of the collaboration of five companies of quite different categories and Kyoto University.
This kind of collaboration and outputs have first become possible by the promotion of university, acting as a core of the collaboration.
Next Kyoto University is now concentrating on the research of one of the major problem we face in the 21st century; the global environment problem.
We established the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies in 2002. It is a graduate school aimed at educating students on ways to achieve global benefit by establishing a new cultural principle and a new knowledge in science and technology that contribute to a balance between sustainable global environment and the human society that supports it.
We also established K.S.I., Kyoto Sustainability Initiative, last year.
KSI is the `Kyoto Model' of the research project to disseminate sustainability science. It is also the education and research base for active study in the "Scientific diagnosis of the earth system" "Developing technological innovation to achieve sustainable development," "Evaluating technologies from the view point of cost-effectiveness," and "Proposing policy measures that motivates technological innovation and change of production and consumption patterns that the sustainable society is realized."
Professor Kazuhiro Ueta, who is attending this Conference from Kyoto University, plays a key role in KSI.
The role universities play in the realization of a sustainable society continues to increase in the future; and Kyoto University is actively working toward this goal.
Next, I would like to talk briefly about the 3rd Science and Technology Basic Plan （that Minister Matsuda talked about earlier.）
The plan's basic stance stresses "to be supported by the public, and benefiting the society and the nation," as well as "the importance of fostering human resource development."
Since I already presented a brief summary of Kyoto University's approach to social contribution, I will omit going over it again here.
Regarding human resource development, we at Kyoto University is working to "transmit high-quality knowledge and promote independent and interactive learning within a broad and varied educational structure," as well as to "educate outstanding and humane researchers and specialists who will contribute responsibly to the world's human and ecological community."
The government's enthusiasm in wanting to become an advanced science and technology oriented nation can be seen in the sentence, "The total amount of the governmental Research and Development expenditure is estimated to be about 25 trillion yen in FY2006 to FY2010," in the basic plan.
Specifying the amount of government expenditure this way, when the nation's fiscal situation is strained, is a very big message from the government to all of us.
Our university accepts this with sincerity and strive to attain the understanding and support of the people.
In ending my speech, I would like to thank the Science Council of Japan, Economic and Social Research Institute, National Institute of Science and Technology Policy, and Japan Science and Technology Agency for hosting the international conference, and finally, I wish it great success.
Thank you very much.