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This is the slogan of our university. The phrase "Lake Biwa is our campus" symbolizes our university's firm commitment and Shiga Prefecture people toward caring for the environment of Lake Biwa and its surroundings. The phrase "humanity is our text" represents our educational emphasis on the human being. Those phrases also reflect the characteristics of Shiga Prefecture. Lake Biwa is the largest lake in Japan, providing water for 15 million people in Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe in the Kinki region. To stop further environmental deterioration, the government, factories, and citizens in the prefecture have joined forces and made various efforts. As a result, Shiga Prefecture has become one of Japan's leading environmental-conscious prefectures and promotes various activities related to the natural ecosystem. While the university sits on over 86 acres of land, our learning place is not fixed just to the campus. The massive Lake Biwa and its surroundings are our dedicated campus. Since our founding in 1995, USP′s standing educational motto is, ″Our campus is Lake Biwa...and our text is Humanity″, which we put in to practice here. Lead by this motto and driven by a push to systematically learn about our region, we have created several minor areas of study for our undergraduates and our graduates. Among these minor areas is the ″Omi Gakushi″ (Regional Studies) one who is knowledgeable about the Omi region for the undergraduates, and the ″Omi Kanjin″ (Community Architect) Program for our graduates. These minor areas of study allow our students to participate in independent extra-curricular activities like the ″Omi Rakuza″ (student farm) or working alongside people in the community to tackle and resolve the many challenges of the region. The goal for our graduates is to train them in becoming leaders in community development. Whichever the minor area is, it is vital to facilitate meaningful communication with others to achieve the fullest learning experiences. Without question, communication plays the most crucial role throughout our lives as we interact in society. Meaningful communication does not mean just merely a discussion. Thinking for yourself requires a logical thought process. And finally, conveying your thoughts with exactness entails a strong ability to express yourself. Please allow yourself to gain knowledge, develop your ideas, and then convey them by seizing every learning opportunity that awaits you. To cultivate individual creativity, students are encouraged to pursue the subjects that interest them most, in addition to those in their specialized disciplines. In all departments, they spend a great deal of their time on fieldwork, experiments, and seminars, in which an emphasis is placed on ties to and bonding with local communities in Shiga Prefecture. Such activities help us fulfill the following motto: "Take root in the community, learn from the community, and contribute to the community." We were the first among Japanese universities to establish a School of Environment Science in 1997. Since then, social situations have changed rapidly and significantly. Environmental issues, such as global warming, pollution in lakes, and water shortages, are our significant worldwide concerns. To accommodate such social changes and act on social needs, our university was reorganized as a public university corporation in April 2006 and is no longer under prefectural control. Our emphasis on the environment and human life continues to be relevant to the next generation. We welcome young people who are genuinely concerned with the future of the world. View full university

The Shiga University of Medical Science strives to cultivate excellent medical professionals, conduct outstanding medical research, and practice high-quality "holistic medicine" as "the university supported by its local community, contributes to the community and plays an active part in the world." In our undergraduate education, we cultivate physicians, nurses, midwives, and public health nurses. Our graduates are active in the field of medicine and nursing from local communities to the global arena. In our graduate school, we focus on fostering clinical scientists with a research mind who will be the new generation of leaders in charge of high-quality research in medicine and nursing. Students acquire a wide range of knowledge, sufficient expertise, and sophisticated clinical skills in the curricula of liberal arts, necessary medicine, and clinical medicine in the School of Medicine. The Research Physician Training Program is provided for students who aspire to be physician-scientists, where they can undertake research early in undergraduate education and earn a Ph.D. earlier than in standard doctoral courses. Graduates of the School of Medicine will be engaged in early clinical practice for two years in designated training hospitals. Many of them will further take the medical specialist course. In the School of Nursing, liberal arts and specialized subjects are integrated into a curriculum organically. We also offer joint lessons with the School of Medicine and extensive nursing practices. A new system for advanced medical treatments has been organized, where cutting-edge medical technologies such as a robotic surgical device "Da・Vinci", a PET-CT, and a hybrid operating room are used. Since the heliport has been constructed in our hospital, we can respond to the wide-area emergency medical care. We contribute to community healthcare as a local base medical institution and the only university hospital in Shiga Prefecture. We have a high reputation for our unique research activities such as neurodegenerative disease research, biomedical research using cynomolgus monkeys, and international epidemiological research on non-communicable diseases. We aim to lead the development of medical science and medical care in the new era, promoting reliable, high-quality clinical research centering on our Center for Clinical Research and Advanced Medicine. The Shiga University of Medical Science is located in a blessed environment with beautiful nature and rich culture, including Lake Biwa, and has produced many excellent medical professionals. Aiming for a healthier society, we continue making efforts to solve problems and contribute to society in medical science, nursing, and medical care. Core Values: Inquiry-based and problem-solving learning to enhance judgment and insight. Cultivate excellence and observe the high standards of ethics and integrity as medical professionals. Demonstrate communication skills to be an influential member of the health care team and respect all team members. Practice-based learning to acquire essential clinical skills. Raise awareness of global issues and to be ready to get involved. We cultivate excellence and provide high-quality educational programs to acquire the expert knowledge and capability in medicine and nursing to nurture outstanding medical professionals and world-leading researchers with a great passion for science and the highest standards of ethics. Our mission is to apply advances in medicine and nursing to the betterment of welfare in our society. We strive to nurture outstanding researchers and experts with advanced knowledge and capability in medicine and nursing. Our mission is to apply advances in medicine and nursing to the betterment of welfare in our society. View full university

Shiga University was established as one of the new national universities in 1949 against the historical and cultural background of Ohmi Province surrounding Lake Biwa, now the modern Shiga Prefecture. The university inherited the torch of its pre-war predecessors, Shiga Normal School and Hikone Commercial College. Since its establishment, Shiga University has developed educational and research activities through launching, among other things, research centers, and postgraduate courses. To fulfill its new role as a national university, it has been at the forefront of educating talented individuals for their future professional careers. In 2000, the university promulgated its mission statement under the title of: "Pioneering the 21st Century of Intelligence: The Ideal of Shiga University." The statement emphasized the importance of constant teaching, learning, and research activities in a milieu of intense competition. Also, it clarified its individuality through advocating the "Three Cs" of Creation, Cooperation and Contribution. In April 2004, Shiga University assumed a new legal form as a national university corporation under the nationwide structural reform of national universities. The world is rapidly changing due to globalization, the emergence of knowledge-based societies, the deterioration of the global environment, the diversification of values, and falling birthrates in many parts of the world. Shiga University sets forth the following new fundamental principles while being aware of the necessity to face such changes. It also sets targets and action agendas that are defined and promoted following these principles. Shiga University contributes to humankind's sustainable development and society, fostering professionals with rich humanity and global views, and promoting innovative scientific research. Besides, as a further development of the "Three Cs," Shiga University promotes three policies. It cultivates the relationship between the "Cosmos around Lake Biwa" and the rest of the global community. Performing innovative educational and research activities Promoting global cooperation Cultivating civic responsibility Shiga University pursues educational training that enriches both broad cultural learning and advanced technical knowledge while respecting each student's initiative. It promotes particularly an education that appreciates the succession of history and culture of Ohmi, together with the preservation of the natural conditions of Lake Biwa and its surroundings. Moreover, it encourages the growth of global perspectives and strives for an education that strengthens international understanding. Shiga University undertakes innovative, creative, and interdisciplinary research activities that contribute to scientific culture improvement. Shiga University makes these research results known to the world while amalgamating theoretical and practical studies. As students and school staff of Shiga University, we strive to realize the above-mentioned basic principles and achieve those targets. We lead our campus lives following this agenda, keeping full awareness of our responsibilities as citizens of local and global communities. Human rights：We aim to be a university that promotes human rights. Education：We aim at student-centered education. Research：We respect academic freedom and aim to undertake high-quality research. Cooperation：We aims to contribute to local communities by cooperating with society. Environment: We cherish "Ecological Consciousness" and promote human symbiosis with nature and make efforts for resource conservation. Collaboration：We participate in many activities of the university under the motto of "Positive Collaboration." Transparency：We support transparency of management and promptly release reliable information. Compliance：We observe statutes, intramural regulations, and all other rules required for national university corporations. View full university