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Niigata University Vision 2030

Click HERE for Japanese version.

Message from the President

Since the beginning of the 21st century, society around us has become markedly more complex and uncertain at an unprecedented pace. The intensification of natural disasters, the global spread of infectious diseases, the growing severity of environmental challenges, changes in population structure, and rising instability in the international landscape have profoundly transformed our world. In such an era, universities are entrusted with the essential mission of sharing the achievements of science, technology, and scholarship with society and translating them into sustainability for human life, daily living, life courses, and the environment that supports them.

Niigata University has long sought to remain a university that is needed by society and that continues to shine toward the future. Constantly asking what it can contribute as a national university of Japan, the University has served society through the education of future generations and the advancement of scholarship, as a hub of knowledge rooted in its region while remaining open to the world. This commitment constitutes the unwavering foundation of Niigata University.

Formulated and announced in February 2021, Niigata University Vision 2030 was established upon this foundation to present to diverse stakeholders the University’s ideal state toward the year 2030. Looking ahead to 2030—the target year for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—the decision to define our mission as “becoming a frontrunner in future life innovation” continues to clearly indicate the direction Niigata University should pursue.

Here, the term “life” refers not only to biological life, but also to daily living, the course of one’s life, and the environment that encompasses and sustains them all—in other words, the totality of human existence. The challenges facing contemporary society arise from the deep interconnections among these elements and cannot be addressed by any single academic discipline alone. As a comprehensive university, Niigata University’s strength lies in its ability to integrate knowledge across disciplinary boundaries and to generate comprehensive knowledge that envisions the future while remaining closely attuned to people and society.

As of February 2026, Vision 2030 has entered the latter half of its implementation period. The University is currently conducting a midterm review to examine initiatives undertaken to date, which serves as a milestone process for more effectively linking the Vision to concrete practice, in light of societal changes and newly achieved outcomes.

During this period, Niigata University has been selected for both the Program for Forming Japan’s Peak Research Universities (J-PEAKS) and Future-Leading and Advanced Graduate Schools (FLAGs). These initiatives have provided a strong foundation for advancing research infrastructure enhancement and graduate education reform in an integrated manner. In the priority fields originating from “Brain and Life” and “Food and Health,” efforts to create comprehensive knowledge spanning life, daily living, life courses, and the environment—and to implement these outcomes in collaboration with society—are giving tangible form to the University’s direction toward becoming a frontrunner in life innovation. Niigata University aspires to be both “a university rooted in the region and open to the world” and “a co-creative university that generates knowledge and leads social transformation.” Through dialogue and trust-based collaboration among students, faculty and staff, local communities, industry, and government, we believe that Niigata University’s unique value will continue to emerge and that its significance to society will be firmly established.

To realize this Vision, transparent governance, robust information sharing, evidence-based decision-making, and university management in which every member participates proactively are indispensable. The midterm review of Vision 2030 also represents an important opportunity for the entire University community to reaffirm our shared direction and move forward together toward a common future.

Niigata University has a long history of being nurtured by its region, connecting with the world, and pioneering the future through the power of knowledge. To pass this legacy on to the next generation with confidence, we will continue to take on new challenges beyond disciplinary boundaries, remaining close to people and society. As a hub of knowledge spanning life, daily living, life courses, and the environment—and as a frontrunner in future life innovation—Niigata University will continue to move forward together with all stakeholders toward 2030 and beyond.

February 2, 2026

SOMEYA Toshiyuki, M.D., Ph.D.
President

History and Philosophy of Niigata University

Niigata University was established in May 1949 as a national university under the new educational system, originating from National Niigata Medical College and Niigata High School under the former educational system, incorporating institutions, including three Teachers' Schools, Nagaoka High School of Technology, and Niigata Prefectural Agriculture and Forestry Special School. Niigata University has carried on the time-honored traditions fostered in the land of "Koshi"* as well as the pioneering spirit of the port city of Niigata, one of the five ports opened to the world at the end of Edo period.

Our philosophy, "Autonomy and Creativity" is based on these traditions and spirit. Under this philosophy, Niigata University has functioned as a repository of knowledge committed to development both locally and globally from the viewpoints of education, research, and contribution to society.

Today, we have grown into a large-scale comprehensive university as one of the leading universities in Japan, with a student body of approximately 13,000 and 3,000 academic and administrative staff members. Along with 10 Faculties and 5 Graduate Schools, Niigata University boasts the Brain Research Institute, the Research Institute for Natural Hazards and Disaster Recovery, the Medical and Dental Hospital as well as the Attached Schools. Furthermore, the Asian Link Research Center, the Sado Island Center for Ecological Sustainability, and the Sakeology Center have been established as university-wide organizations that meet the needs of the times.

*Koshi is an old name for Niigata, and the meaning of its Chinese characters is "high ambition".

Mission for 2030

Niigata University is a large, comprehensive university, located on the Sea of Japan coast of Honshu, Japan's main island. Its main campus is situated in Niigata city, which is designated as a core city in Japan and also known as a government ordinance-designated city with several consulates. We clearly state our role as a "gateway of knowledge" open to the world with our base in Asia across the Sea of Japan. Niigata University will deepen exchange of knowledge through education, research, and contribution to society. We will put forward new definitions and suggestions in society regarding life, learning, local communities, and the international community as it ought to be in order to live humanly throughout the 21st century.

Accordingly, our definition of "Life Innovation" is not confined to the fields of medical care, health, and welfare, but is also innovation that creates new value and meaning of our "existence", "whole life", "way of living", "the ideal society", "involvement with the environment" as well as the bases of these: the earth and nature as we live through the 21st century. Under its philosophy, "Autonomy and Creativity", Niigata University sets out our mission to gather the knowledge of the entire university and become a front-runner of future life innovation.

Vision 2030

Vision 1. Education and Student Support

Niigata University is to be a future-oriented comprehensive university where young Japanese, adults, and international students gather across time and space, learn with security as well as respect and embrace diversity while designing their own learning. We will promote education that integrates the digital and real world, and equip our students to grow into individuals who can contribute to an ever-changing future society. Niigata University will thus be the leading academic base for undergraduate and graduate education on the Sea of Japan side.

Vision 2. Research

Niigata University will create research flagships* that bring together the knowledge of the entire university related to life innovation while improving the environment that fosters unique, cutting-edge research, and various basic research. Niigata University will thus be a research-oriented university that produces research of an international standard, valuable to the society of the future.

*Research flagship: Research with distinctive features that can be an emblem of the university

Vision 3. Medical Care and Hospital

Niigata University will provide high-quality, advanced medical care at the Niigata University Medical and Dental Hospital. At the same time, we will foster highly skilled medical professionals and the medical professionals required by society. We will also solve problems in collaboration with the community and become a base for research and development for world-class advanced medical care.

Vision 4. Industry-Academia and Community Collaboration

Niigata University will promote education and research activities that utilize dialogue in the local community and industry-academia collaboration. Based in the regional core city of Niigata, we will contribute to regional revitalization and individualization, and become a base for "co-creation of society and communities" in order to create new life innovation.

Vision 5. Global Engagement

Niigata University is a "gateway of knowledge" open to the world from Niigata, which is located on the Sea of Japan side. We will thus promote the creation of knowledge in collaboration with the world, and become the home of advanced and diverse brain circulation by enhancing global awareness on our campus.

Vision 6. Management and Organization Reform

Under the leadership of the President, Niigata University will optimize its organization, enhance external funds, including Niigata University Fund, as its core resources, and utilize other resources inside and outside the university. Through these efforts, we will become a vibrant university which develops sustainably, together with the local community.

 

Click HERE for Japanese version.