Message from the Dean
The guiding principles of the Graduate School of Engineering stem from Hokkaido University’s basic philosophies; Frontier Spirit, Global Perspectives, All-round Education and Practical Learning. Over 130 years have passed since the foundation of Hokkaido University as the Sapporo Agricultural College in 1876, and these basic philosophies have been respected and reflected in both educational and research activities at our School.
Graduate School of Engineering is taking a new step forward
The former Graduate School of Engineering has been re-structured into 3 different entities:
Dean Prof. Naoshi Baba
Faculty of Engineering where faculty members belong, Graduate School of Engineering, and Graduate School of Chemical Science and Engineering （CSE）where students belong.
Our education system gives wide knowledge and flexible ways of thinking and equip students with cutting-edge engineering know-how.
Students learn what is useful for their future in this newly-structured Graduate School of Engineering. They are expected to brush up their basic scholastic ability through classroom education and advance in creativity, logical-thinking, problem-solving ability, general and ethical mind through carrying out their research. These qualities are important no matter what kind of job our students are going to have in the future and necessary to survive in this unpredictable society.
Internationalization of education
One of Hokkaido University’s academic mottos is " cultivate the power of internationalization " . To cope with today's internationalization, we have established a credit transfer system. One of the challenges in Graduate School of Engineering is " double-degree program " . In the double-degree program, students must enroll in the partner university for about one year to earn required credits. Upon completion they will be awarded two separate degrees from Hokkaido University and from the partner university. One of the mid-term goals of Hokkaido University is to increase the number of international students from the current 7% to 10% of the total student population. With an increased presence of and interaction with international students, thanks to the double-degree and active participation to short-term/long-term exchange programs, it is our wish that students in the Graduate School of Engineering will cultivate internationalization in their mind. In the re-structured Graduate School of Engineering, students continue to have two choices to pursue their study . they can enroll in the Japanese medium program or in the e3 （English Engineering Education）program where lectures and research work are conducted entirely in English. For Japanese students, studying in the e3 program helps prepare them for the ever increasing demand from globalization.
Set a high goal and become a person with practical mind
CEED (Center for Engineering Education Development) offers courses on " Practical English for Science and Engineering " and " Brush-up English " to help students improve their English ability. CEED also supports international exchange activities that are planned by students. In today's industrial and academic worlds, we are expected to have basic knowledge, research ability and practical mind. CEED supports international/domestic internship as an industry education program and welcomes internship students from foreign countries. Through co-researching with international students, Japanese students can enhance their research ability and improve their communication skills.
Research and contribution to society
Contributing to society is the most important mission for us. One of the most brilliant examples is Emeritus Professor Akira Suzuki's research work. Professor Suzuki, a member of Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University during 1961-1994, has been awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize for Chemistry. The Suzuki coupling reaction allows extensive universality and practicability, and has been used for the synthesis of many biologically active natural products, including pharmaceutical preparations. With our intellectual heritage and innovative technology, we are doing our best to fulfill our responsibility to society.
(A message from the Dean, Faculty of Engineering Graduate School of Engineering School of Engineering Hokkaido University 2010-2011)
