Message from Leaders

International Groundwater Environmental Leader Program of Kumamoto University for the Promising Future.(Prof.Isao Taniguchi President of Kumamoto University)


Kumamoto University (KU) is in Kumamoto city, which is located at the center of the west side of Kyushu Island. KU is one of Japan's oldest and most prestigious national world-leading research-universities, and has been producing innovative leaders in the globalizing society. Kumamoto is known as the "land of fire" (because of active volcano, Mt. Aso, and symbolized by red), "city of forest" (because of green city of rich environment and shown by green), and "city of rich water" (due to rich and tasty underground water, shown by blue), meaning the city is characterized by "RGB", the three primary colors of light. Kumamoto has very rich cultural places, traditions and long history as well. In addition, in Kumamoto, many world-leading high-tech industries related to electronics/semiconductor, energy/environment, and biotechnology are actively operating.

On the basis of the characteristics of the city and world-reading research activities on water science and technology, we have started the International Joint Education Program for Groundwater Environmental Leaders, or in short, "Groundwater Environmental Leader Program of Kumamoto University (GelK)", which is one of national programs for international cooperation in science and technology for Asian and African countries, aiming to foster environmental leaders. The management of water from viewpoints of maintenance of water quality, wastewater treatment, recycling of water etc. is extremely important in the 21st century. Through the GelK 3-year education program, 10 international students together with 5 Japanese students are accepted and educated every year to be world top-level innovative researchers and managers of water as "Groundwater Environmental Leaders".

Due to the disaster by the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake, the GelK program may have some difficulties to carry out the plans. However, because water is the origin of life, the achievements of the present GelK program should contribute a lot to the society, I believe. Finally, we also welcome international students to join the GelK program.

サステイナブルワールドのための地下水環境リーダーの育成(自然科学研究科長/ 高島和希)


Our educational program entitled 'International Joint Education Program for Groundwater Environmental Leaders’ was adopted as one of the 'Strategic Program for Fostering Environmental Leaders’ by JST. Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, has started this program since 2010 to foster groundwater environmental leaders in the world. The five years program will foster 10 international and 5 domestic students every year during the period in the doctoral course.

Needless to say, the water is most precious resource for human beings, and furthermore it is indispensable to maintain the world population which is rapidly increasing. However, we now observe that the rapid industrialization and the population explosion in the developing countries cause contamination and depletion of the water resource. Moreover, the critical accident in the Fukushima nuclear power plant caused by the huge tsunami on March 11, 2011, will induce serious environmental pollution.

We need a careful monitoring for that. Thus it is not so easy to maintain our environment and peaceful life. We need every effort to monitor our environment, develop new environment and maintain favorable environment. Our world is eager to get those who can do such works. I hope that our program to foster such talented people with respect to the groundwater will be fruitful, and also hope that our graduates will serve as powerful leaders for the peace of the sustainable world and also for the future of human beings.