February 2nd, 2023
Starting April 2024, a new Department of History and Culture will be established in the Faculty of Letters of Mukogawa Women's University (currently under planning for establishment).
We are now living in an era that is fast-changing and uncertain, such as the spread of infectious diseases, an aging society with a declining birthrate, the development of AI, and wars. However, similar occurrences have taken place many times in the past, and each time our predecessors overcame those difficulties. The historical world, where a vast amount of history is deposited, is a treasure house of ideas for surviving in the modern age. The hints for the future can be found in history.
The field of the Department of History and Culture at Mukogawa Women's University is Japanese history. The emphasis is not on aristocrats, warlords, or other powerful figures, but on the trajectory of the people of daily life. We approach the essence of culture from the side of food, clothing, and shelter that women's sensibilities have nurtured. Focusing on women and their lifestyles reveals a history not found in textbooks.
Detailed information about the new Department of History and Culture will be available on our website soon. Together with our main character, high school student "Fumi-chan," we will also be communicating our fascination through social networking services and other means.
January 31st, 2023
Students of the Department of English attended a talk by Ms. Hiroko Yano, Executive Officer, Director General, Sustainability Management Department, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and made a presentation in English about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in energy sectors.
On January 16, students of the “Globalization and Japan” class and the International Business / International Cooperation Seminar (Prof. Hosono) exchanged views about various topics, such as greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction and hydrogen society.
Ms. Tsujimoto and Ms. Ogino, who study “Globalization and Japan”, made a presentation in English about the global efforts for SDGs in energy sectors, focusing on the trends of energy consumption and renewable energy, as well as the new technologies to reduce GHG.
Ms. Yano explained various concrete examples of JBIC’s efforts for sustainability, such as the green finance as well as the coordinated efforts with foreign governments and international organizations.
January 23rd, 2023
Tamaki Takeuchi, a third-year student in the Department of Architecture, received an honorable mention in the "2nd SANGO Student Project Design Competition.”
Ms. Tamaki Takeuchi (3rd year of Architecture) won an honorable mention in the "2nd SANGO Student Project Design Competition" for her entry, "The Home of the Sun Through the Trees".
This competition has been held by Sango Corporation of Sapporo, Hokkaido since 2021 for students who aspire to design and architecture, the future of the construction industry. The competition encourages students to come up with their own ideas to recreate the hut, which is the starting point of architecture.
Ms. Takeuchi's work, “The Home of the Sun Through the Trees," consists of the first floor with a kitchen and a loft. A staircase connects the two spaces so that the hut does not feel too small. By placing a large main pillar through the center of the house, "Hokkaido timber" is utilized to create a lifestyle that is nestled in the trees. Sunlight filters in through the skylights, and the wind blows through the house from the top to the bottom.
Ms. Takeuchi commented, "This was my first time entering the competition, so I was surprised to receive an honorable mention. I placed the main pillar in the center of the room to express a sense of security, like being under a big tree. I wanted to create a space where time flows slowly and you can relax.”
January 17th, 2023
Nishinomiya-Kitaguchi Campus is nicknamed "KiTa-E.”
The nickname for Nishinomiya-Kitaguchi Campus, which had been open for students and faculty members to apply for, was decided to be "KiTa-E." On the 17th, President Kazuyoshi Seguchi handed the prize to Eri Inoue, a sixth-year student in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, who came up with the idea.
The nickname contest was open to students, faculty, and staff for about a month from December 7, 2022 and 105 names were submitted. Ms. Inoue's proposal, "KiTa-E" was unanimously selected by the campus judges because it is a combination of "north" of "northwest" and "expectation" or "want to go," has a good sense of the word, and can be read in various ways.
Mr. Inoue said, "I applied for the nickname because I hope that the nickname I came up with will remain after graduation. I hope that my alma mater will shine brightly, and I also hope that the campus will become a place that people want to go to," she said.
January 13th, 2023
The student advisors in the Operations Department is in the midst of activation.
The Operations Division launched the Student Advisor System in October 2022. As a department responsible for auxiliary projects closely related to the student lifestyle, for both the faculty and staff too, the Division launched and recruited a "Student Advisor System" to reflect the real voices of students in the operation of the concession stand and cafeteria.
As a result of an open recruitment process, six student advisors have been appointed.
The six students belong to various departments and are in different grades, thus proving it a challenge for all to get together, but they are working together via online meetings as well as in-person meetings.
They quickly made revisions to the division's homepage on the institute's website based on advice from a "student's perspective," such as "It is not clear what the division does, so it would be better to describe it as a 'division (store, cafeteria, etc.). In addition, we are also providing advice on the ongoing renovation of the division's website, rules for managing publicity activities on social networking services (SNS) such as Twitter and Instagram, and consideration of the cafeteria menu and original goods that students would like to eat.
They will begin to use social media as a form of communication with the public.
January 13th, 2023
Issuing of the Action Book.
The "ACTION BOOK", which serves as a guide for all faculty and staff of Mukogawa Gakuin to carry out the "MUKOJO Vision," the future vision for the 100th anniversary of Mukogawa Gakuin, in unity of mind, was completed and distributed on January 12 to all those involved with the school, from the affiliated nursery schools to the university. It was planned and produced by the "Branding Project Team," which aims to build a brand to embody the "MUKOJO Vision.
The volume opens with a message to faculty and staff from President Ryo Okawara, President Kazuyoshi Seguchi, Principal Shigeto Serata of the affiliated junior and senior high school, and Yutaka Takii, Director General of Mukogawa Gakuin. The text shares how MUKOJO ACTION was launched with the catchphrase "Let's renovate women's university in Japan" and its connection to the spirit of Ritsugaku, and then describes the "MUKOJO Vision" and its guidelines, the "MUKOJO Principles,” MUKOJO ACTION began its course from May 2018 to April 2023.