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Diversity,
Equity &
Inclusion

School of Engineering DEI【Diversity, Equity & Inclusion】
Promotion Project

News

School of Engineering
DEI
Promotion Project

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

It is now recognized that increasing diversity in organizations increases creativity and excellence, leading to the development of science, technology and innovation, and efforts to close the gender gap are rapidly advancing around the world. In contrast, Japanese universities, especially in the field of engineering, have lagged behind in this effort, and this is an important issue for the development of science and technology and the creation of innovation.

The School of Engineering, Tohoku University takes this challenge seriously and aims to further strengthen its research capabilities and create innovation by fostering an environment that is easy to work and learn as an open university, regardless of gender, nationality, or position, and by allowing each individual to fully demonstrate their abilities.

Under the "Tohoku University Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Promotion Declaration" issued in April 2022, the new "School of Engineering DEI Promotion Project” was launched to first work on the prompt realization of gender equity inclusion.

Message

Hiroo Yugami Professor, Dean, School of Engineering

Since its founding in 1919, the School of Engineering has promoting world-leading research in all fields of engineering. As an open university, we hereby start the DEI Promotion Project in the School of Engineering aiming to further strengthen the research prowess and creating innovation by fostering an environment that everyone can work and learn regardless their gender, nationality, or positions, and achieving an educational and research field where everyone can demonstrate their abilities while being respected for their diversity.

School of Engineering focuses particularly on equity to build an inclusive organization and promotes the affirmative action that allows those in a disadvantageous situation to fully demonstrate their abilities by investing more resources to them, as well as having the same perspectives as them. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Hiroo Yugami
Professor, Dean, School of Engineering

Naomi Shibasaki-Kitakawa

I was one of the few women in the school of engineering, and one of my collaborative researchers was a single father. We understood each other's difficulties in raising children as minorities and worked hard together to advance our research within the limited time we had. The result of our research was evaluated as an innovation and it has since been applied to a venture company. I learned that minorities come from various backgrounds as a result of that valuable experience. Universities should be a place where people aim to develop science, technology, innovation and everyone can exercise their highest potentials and abilities. Through the DEI Promotion Project in the School of Engineering, we will steadily move forward one step at a time to make this reality, not just a dream.

Naomi Shibasaki-Kitakawa
Professor, Assistant to the Dean for Gender Equity,
Responsible for DEI Promotion Project, School of Engineering

Scheme

Diversity

  • Promoting mutual understanding
  • Evaluation and analysis of DEI promotion

Equity

Improved support to secure equity

  • Position Offer to Promote DEI.
  • Introduction of accompanying support through the use of cross-appointments.
  • Introduction of considerations in term extension and performance evaluation according to the situation.
  • Continued support for balancing research with childbirth, childcare, nursing care, etc.
  • Reinforcement of response to requests for reasonable accommodations in terms of study.

Inclusion

  • Ensure gender equity and inclusion of the operation organization
  • Promoting development of engineering from women's perspective

Interviews

Affiliations of female researchers are as of the time the article was written.