Chancellor's New Year Greeting

Happy New Year, and I extend my warmest greetings to you all!

 Last year passed with the world, Japan, and Chuo University all suffering from the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. Online classes and telecommuting rapidly spread and became widely adopted. The freshmen are about to end their first university year without experiencing full-fledged student life on campus. I sincerely hope that this year will be the one in which human beings defeat COVID-19 and we mark the beginning of a bright future for all Chuo community stakeholders, students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Chuo University was founded as the Igirisu Horitsu Gakko (English Law School) in 1885 by a group of 18 young attorneys. With the philosophy of “Fostering the Ability to Apply Knowledge to Practice,” the founders sought to cultivate a new generation of competent individuals to meet the needs of society through wide-ranging practical education and academic research. This spirit is captured in our current university motto, “Knowledge into Action.”
 

In 2015 during the 130th anniversary of its founding, Chuo University released Chuo Vision 2025, a ten-year development plan that includes the establishment of new faculties, the upgrading of campuses, continued promotion of global initiatives, the promotion of sports, and the realization of our goal of becoming a comprehensive university. We are pleased that during the first five years, Chuo has been making steady progress with each pillar of this plan, including the establishment of two new faculties - the Faculty of Global Management and the Faculty of Global Informatics; the acquisition of land for the planned relocation of the Law Faculty; and, the construction of two new buildings on the Tama Campus, the International Residence Chuo and the Global Gateway Chuo.

2021 will be the first year of the latter half of this ten-year development plan. In keeping with our past progress, we promise to continue working tirelessly and sincerely for the further growth and development of Chuo University. With this in mind, I ask all Chuo community stakeholders, students, faculty, staff and alumni, for your understanding, cooperation and support to ensure that 2021 will be even more fulfilling and successful than years past.
 

Shozaburo Sakai

Chancellor, Chuo University
January 1, 2021