The University of Shiga Prefecture

This is the slogan of our university. The phrase "Lake Biwa is our campus" symbolizes the firm commitment by our university and the people of Shiga Prefecture 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. The surrounding basins of the lake support agricultural, urban and industrial activities in the prefecture, but recent industrial expansion and population growth have been causing environmental problems. 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 the leading environmental-conscious prefectures in Japan and promotes various activities related to the natural ecosystem.

While the university sits on over 86 acres of land, our place of learning is not fixed just to the campus. The massive Lake Biwa and its surroundings is our true campus. It is on this enormous campus where through instruction, research, and out of class activities we can learn from nature and those who live in harmony here. Since our founding in 1995, USP′s standing educational motto is, ″Our campus is Lake Biwa...and our text is Humanity″, which we clearly put in to practice here.

Lead by this motto and driven by a push to systematically learn about our region, we have created a number of minor areas of study for our undergraduates as well as our graduates. Among these minor areas is the ″Omi Gakushi″ (Regional Studies) one who is knowlegeable 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 of learning experiences. Without question, communication plays the most important role throughout our lives as we interact in society.

Meaningful communication does not mean just simply discussion. It is the process of fully understanding the ideas of others, thinking for yourself, and then conveying those thoughts back again with exactness. In order to fully understand the ideas of others, one must expand his or her own scope of knowledge. 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 own ideas and then convey them by seizing each and 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 field work, 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 greatly. Environmental issues, such as global warming, pollution in lakes and water shortages are our great concerns world wide. Conflicts rising from cultural and religious differences are spreading world wide, and so cross-cultural understanding is vital for keeping peace in the future. 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 environment and human life continues to be relevant to the next generation. We welcome young people who are truly concerned with the future of the world.