Greetings from the Dean

The world has changed drastically due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in the spring of 2020. Currently, the situation worldwide is improving; however, anxiety about the future remains. In this situation, I encourage everyone studying at the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, and those who aim to study at our college to be open, try new things, and grow into strong people who can build a better future.

The College of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ritsumeikan University established a 6-year program in the Department of Pharmacy in 2008 and a 4-year program in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2015. Since then, we have established a doctoral program in pharmacology within the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences to train pharmacists and researchers with advanced expertise and research capabilities in the field of clinical pharmacy and master's and doctoral programs in the same domain to train researchers in the field of drug discovery.

A College of Pharmaceutical Sciences is a department that trains researchers involved in drug development and pharmacists who provide instructions on how to take drugs properly. The Department of Pharmacy trains pharmacists as valuable community medicine and hospital medical team members. Likewise, the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences trains talents to contribute to basic research and clinical development. As new medical treatments increase, such as regenerative medicine and gene therapy, we provide an outstanding education to foster talents who can contribute to human health and play an active role in pharmaceutical sciences with a global perspective.

The main features of this program are liberal arts education to enable students to be critical thinkers in a global society, English education to cultivate the ability to use English and communicate information, physical assessment education for the proper use of drugs, and advanced research education.

Ritsumeikan offers comprehensive liberal arts courses, which are possible only here because it is a comprehensive university. A wide range of education outside one's professional field cultivates a worldview and sense of values, leading to interdisciplinary and creative science through cross-disciplinary research.

For English education, in addition to the basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, we developed a project-based English program (PEP). In the PEP, students explore project themes related to advanced research, present results in English, and communicate products in English. These abilities will be utilized while studying abroad and in graduate studies. In addition to English education programs for lower and upper grades, we have a study-abroad program for fifth-year students in the Department of Pharmacy. The Toronto Clinical Training Program at the University of Toronto Children's Hospital (SickKids) allows students to interact with Canadian pharmacy students and learn about pharmacists' practices at SickKids.

In the future of healthcare in Japan, which is becoming a super-aged society, the duties of pharmacists will expand. For pharmacists, it is critical to understand a patient's physical condition and the proper use of drugs. Our college has an environment where several medical robots are used, and students can learn about physical assessments from teachers of medical doctors and pharmacists.

Ritsumeikan University is committed to providing state-of-the-art research facilities and combining literature and science. We are consistently among the top private universities regarding grants-in-aid for scientific research. This thriving environment supports a wide range of research activities at our college. In addition, in 2022, we began an exchange program with the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto. In the first year, eight students from the University of Toronto visited our college to conduct five-week research. Our undergraduate and graduate students studied at overseas universities, such as the University of Toronto and Yale University, for approximately two months. Our college supports international research and meeting diverse people.

A liberal arts education allows students to learn a wide range of subjects, take well-developed specialized courses, receive an education in the English language, and work in an environment that supports advanced and international research activities, all of which contribute to developing talent who can work globally. Something new is always planned for the Biwako-Kusatsu campus, where our college is located. The College of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ritsumeikan University is where new things and ideas can be endeavored.

I hope you will challenge yourself with something new and become a talent who will open new avenues.