DEI Vision

Message from President Teiji Tominaga

Tohoku University advancing to the next stage in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

President Teiji Tominaga
(Tohoku University)

Tohoku University’s respect for diversity is based upon the university’s long-established practice of its ‘Open Door’ philosophy, which is one of its founding tenets.

In 1913, Tohoku University, then known as Tohoku Imperial University, became the first of its peers in Japan to admit female students. Since then, it has accepted many international students, including the influential Chinese writer Lu Xun, and has been a place of learning for a diverse group of students. Our university’s philosophy to accept a wide range of talented individuals, regardless of their gender, educational background, nationality, etc., reveals this ‘Open Door’ philosophy to be a long held appreciation for diversity, as it is understood today. In addition, the way the university has striven to support its diverse students achieve their academic goals illustrates its commitment to inclusion.

The university’s history of practicing an ‘Open Door’ philosophy advanced the development of gender equality in Japan. As Her Imperial Highness Princess Kako expressed in her remarks at our 2023 ceremony celebrating the 110th anniversary of the first female university students in Japan, the decision to admit three female students was “an important step” for Japan.

To honor and build upon this ‘Open Door’ philosophy, the university put forth the ‘Tohoku University Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Promotion Declaration’ in April 2022. In July 2023, the Center for Gender Equality Promotion was renamed the Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Moving forward, we at Tohoku University will continue to strive to promote DEI with the aim of becoming a university where everyone can shine.

DEI promotion is a very important topic, and it is one of the central reforms that must be undertaken to strengthen the university’s systems for the Japanese government’s brand new ‘Universities for International Research Excellence’ initiative, which aims to help develop world-class research universities in Japan. In order to produce original and outstanding research results and create new innovations while standing shoulder to shoulder with leading universities around the world, it is vital to create an environment where diverse, talented individuals can realize their full potential. To create such an environment, each and every member of our university community must further deepen their awareness and understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

As president of Tohoku University, I will focus on the following policy goals to promote DEI. First, eliminating the gender gap at our university must be one of our top priorities. known as the first to accept female students, must be one of our top priorities. We will continue to strive to meet our ‘one-third rule’ to increase the proportion of our female researchers, aiming for one-third of newly hired researchers to be female. In addition, we will seek to rectify existing gender gaps within the university’s organizational structure. The university will also expand the various support projects that have been carried out mainly by the Center for DEI thus far. We must also strive to change men’s working styles and attitudes in order to improve the work-life balance of all our community members.

Amidst the major transformations the world is undergoing, we at Tohoku University will continue to accumulate and utilize our invaluable, diverse, and comprehensive knowledge to contribute to the wellbeing of humanity and create new value that positively impacts the present and our collective future. In doing so, we aim to be a university that, drawing upon a foundational appreciation for diversity, equity, and inclusion, can lead both Japan and the world.