大学案内｜ABOUT MDU

　A ceremony to celebrate the commencement of work for 2006 was held on Tuesday, January 10th. All of the faculty and staff attended the ceremony before they started work for the new year. At the ceremony, Yasushi Yagasaki, chairman of the board of directors of Matsumoto Dental University (MDU), told the lecturers that he wanted them to educate students with love and collaborate to assist the students, as they have done in previous years.

　The 8th FD meeting was held on Friday ,January 20th, under the title of "Remedial education starts at universities: education that enthuses students and supplementary education". Special guest was Prof. Hiroshi Ono from the research and development department of the National Institute of Multimedia Education. Prof. Ono stated that there has been increasing requirement for universities in recent years to provide freshmen with remedial education so that freshmen acquire basic academic ability. Now universities are expected to teach their students the skills that the students require to be educated at university.

　Prof. Minoru Nakata, a specially assigned professor at MDU, received the Japanese Association for Dental Science chairman's prize (for education) for 2005. The prize awarding ceremony was held in the New Dental Practitioners Building in Tokyo on Friday December 16th. The association praised the efforts that Prof. Nakata has made over many years in dental education. This is Japan's top award in dental science.

　Prof. Takeshi Kondo, Professor of Oral Hygiene, and Prof. Norio Ota, Professor of Operative Dentistry 1, will both retire this academic year. They presented their final lectures on Friday 20th and Thursday 26th of January, respectively. Both professors entrusted the students with their thoughts for dental science. They received many bouquets after their final lectures and students gave them a hearty send-off with a clapping of hands.

　On Monday December 19th, the Shotosai executive committee presented Shiojiri Council of Social Welfare with one hundred thousand yen. This sum was part of the proceeds of the bazaar held during the 24th Shotosai university festival in September of last year. Handing over the money were fourth-year student Masanori Hoshino, who chaired the executive committee, and other committee members.

　The MDU Alumni Association held a seminar for graduates in the student hall of the library building on Sunday January 15th. The seminar was attended by many of the members and dental hygienists. Topics that are very useful for clinical work and which people are interested in were selected for the seminar, which received favorable criticism.

　Shiojiri Chamber of Commerce and Industry held an illumination contest. Participating were 29 Shiojiri households and companies. MDU won a special prize for its illuminations.