On June 14, 2013, a ceremony to celebrate Chancellor Noriko Mizuta’s honorary professorship from the Dalian University of Technology (DUT) was held at the 3rd building of Tokyo Kioicho Campus.
   The honorary professorship was conferred upon Chancellor Mizuta at DUT on May 27. This ceremony, conceived through the work of Josai University Educational Corporation Advisor Takashi Murai, Special Advisor to the Chancellor Akihisa Inoue, Josai University President Yasunori Morimoto, Josai International University President Hakuo Yanagisawa, and Josai University Educational Corporation Director Hiroto Taketomi, among others, was attended by 150 faculty and staff members connected to Josai and other invitees.

DUT was founded as one of National Key Universities in 1949. This university’s curriculum is not just limited to technology, but also has programs in economics, commercial science, Chinese literature, foreign literature, and other culture related fields. With an enrollment of 24,000 students, DUT stands as a major representative university in China.
   To this point, DUT has awarded many exceptional scholars in a variety of fields with honorary professorships including―in Japan― Nobel Prize winners Ryoji Noyori, Akira Suzuki, and Eiichi Negishi, as well as Josai’s own Advisor Takashi Murai and Special Advisor to the Chancellor, Akihisa Inoue.

A Josai delegation led by Chancellor Mizuta has visited DUT every year since 2007, increasing their program of exchange with each successive year. In 2008, Josai delivered the results of a joint research project with DUT, a research on current situation of Dalian special economic zone in Dalian, to the then mayor of Dalian, Xia Deren. In 2011, Josai collaborated with Saitama prefecture to form a training program in Dalian that seeks to advance the Chinese market through the development of young human resources in the industry and that aims at attracting businesses to the region. In 2012, Josai established the Josai Executive Program for Women’s Empowerment and Leadership (JEWEL) and contributed Dalian’s economic development, providing training programs such as politics, economics, and industry with Dalian government and DUT. Even in education, Josai has made remarkable achievements in developing high-level economic/marketing education through JMBA in collaboration with faculty of management and economics of DUT and promoting the acquisition of doctoral degrees for Japanese language faculty at the DUT, collaborated with DUT, Dalian Univeristy of Foreign Language, and Northeastern University in 2010. In addition, Josai has promoted a number of cultural programs by accepting numerous exchange students into their programs, facilitating student training through internships both at home and abroad, founding the Japan-China Short Poetry Association, and donating Mizuta Sakura trees. It is for all the aforementioned contributions and achievements for the promotion of international education, that Chancellor Mizuta was awarded the honorary professorship from DUT.

The ceremony began with one of the event founders, Prof. Kazunobu Fukushima of Josai University, who provided a brief introduction. Advisor Murai who outlined the history of exchange between Josai and Dalian followed him. JIU Vice-President Masato Kurabayashi then explained the overviews and achievements of the Japan-China Joint Doctoral and JMBA programs.
   This was followed by congratulatory words from visiting Dalian government official Wang Xin and introductions of industry officials who have collaborated with Josai.

Later, between sessions of lively banter, students from the Japan-China Joint Doctoral Program―the first student in the program to receive their PhD, Dalian University of Foreign Languages’ Assistant Professor Wang Mei; JMBA student spokesperson, Zhang Yanbo of DUT; and Vice-President of the Josai-Dalian Friendship Assocation, Li Hongdi―delivered words of thanks to Chancellor Mizuta.
   Finally, Chancellor Mizuta gave a brief address, saying, “It is a great honor to be recognized with an honorary professorship from the Dalian University of Technology for all the effort that has gone into developing ties and joint education between the Dalian University of Technology and the Josai University Educational Corporation. I’m also deeply honored to see so many people assembled here today in celebration. I vow to continue to do my best in promoting the development of human resources who can serve as links for the continued growth of both universities and Japan-China relations.”

The ceremony concluded with Chancellor Mizuta receiving a commemorative gift from President Morimoto and a bouquet from Josai, DUT, and Joint Doctoral program students, with JIU President Yanagisawa providing the rousing final words.