A Welcome from the Institute Director
Kondo Takao

The fundamental objective of Nagoya University is to produce top-caliber, internationally recognized academic research, as stipulated in the University Academic Charter. Nagoya University established the Institute for Advanced Research in 2002 with a mandate to achieve an unsurpassed level of academic research. Not only are these academic achievements indispensable for the University to be widely recognized as an institution of higher learning, they are also the preconditions for the nurturing of courageous intellectuals. Needless to say, a real unsurpassed level of academic research of the University can never be achieved by an individual department; it is the challenge of all members of the University.
How should the Institute contribute to the objective stipulated in the University Academic Charter? We spent a year to examine this question. We studied the recommendations to the Institute made by the International Advisory Board of Nagoya University and consulted many researchers at the University. We came to realize that our past activities were insufficient. We think that the Institute should function as an academy within the University, the fundamental activity of which is to communicate research of international excellence to members of the University. It strives to support research projects conducted at the Institute, although the number of projects may be limited. It also aims at supporting the independence of outstanding young researchers in the early stages of their career.

We understand that the implementation of these new activities is not an easy task. However, they are indispensable for the University to be widely recognized as a research-intensive university. Moreover, their success depends on the participation of all the members of the University. I hope we can count on your understanding and support in our endeavors.