When the COVID-19 Pandemic is Over | Motohiro Tsuchiya, Dean of the Faculty of Policy Management
2021.02.16
I've found myself writing "When the COVID-19 pandemic is over..." in my emails more and more often. There are so many things I think about: I want to do this, I want to do that, I want to go there, I want to eat that, I want to see that person.
The memorable 30th anniversary year of the Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC)'s opening in 2020 passed by before we could do most of what we had planned. Although delayed by the pandemic, we selected a 30th-anniversary logo through a public competition , and a commemorative website will be launched soon .
I wonder what SFC and its surroundings will be like 30 years from now. Around 1990, when SFC was established, the population of 18-year-olds exceeded two million. Today, it has fallen below 1.2 million, and it seems it will decrease to one million by the time I retire, and to around 800,000 by 2050. The environment surrounding universities will have changed completely. Some universities will likely struggle to meet their enrollment quotas, and the competition for good students may become even more intense. That is precisely why each university is beginning to devise ways to enhance its appeal and strengthen its unique characteristics.
What will SFC do? It is also characteristic of SFC for various people to imagine all sorts of possibilities.
This campus
is located within Fujisawa City's "Forest of Health and Culture" concept. The current campus is enveloped by a forest, and when you take the bus from Shonandai, you can see that it is situated in the middle of the woods. Within the campus grounds, excavated ruins from the Jomon period are preserved underground. Although people have lived here since ancient times, it is an area where greenery has been well-preserved.
An initiative that will change the face of this area is about to begin. The project we have been calling the Miraisozojuku (Institute for Designing the Future) is coming to fruition as β (Beta) Village and Η (Eta) Village. Furthermore, it looks like major developments are planned for the district between Ito-Yokado and the campus.
It would not be interesting to simply replicate a typical urban landscape. And it would be a waste for it to be just a relaxed, yet creative, university town.
Richard Florida, who wrote "The Rise of the Creative Class," argued that there are three "T's" where creative people gather: Talent, Technology, and Tolerance.
SFC can undoubtedly provide the first two: Talent and Technology. We must be careful, as Tolerance can sometimes be mistaken for licentiousness, but I hope for a campus and a town that are tolerant of diversity.
I would like to add a fourth "T" here: Tast
e. The enrichment of our food culture should be directly linked to the "Forest of Health and Culture." There is no reason not to take advantage of the farms and dairy farms that spread out around the campus. Near the campus, there is the Nouka Restaurant Ibuki (pictured). The dishes, which make use of fresh local ingredients, are delicious. Nearby, there is also Miyaji Pork , run by an alumnus. In the past, I thoroughly enjoyed it at a barbecue with students. I want to make it so that you can always eat delicious food when you come to SFC. I would be happy to see many famous restaurants that can rival Ramen Jiro at Mita Campus. We also need ethnic food so that international students from all over the world will not be at a loss.
In fact, I learned from Ayame Osanai's master's thesis, "The Contribution of Yukichi Fukuzawa and Keio University to the Introduction and Popularization of Western Cuisine in Japan during the Meiji Period," that it was Yukichi Fukuzawa who promoted the Westernization of food in the Meiji era. In an age when it was strongly believed that the kitchen was a woman's place, Yukichi Fukuzawa inspired graduates and colleagues by suggesting that food could also be a man's lifelong work. In response, food companies that continue to this day were apparently established. It is also said that it was Yukichi Fukuzawa who changed the samurai mindset that eating delicious food was a luxury. And the culture of enjoying conversation during meals (which is being avoided during the COVID-19 pandemic) was also something that Yukichi Fukuzawa promoted. When the pandemic is over, Keio University should once again aim to contribute to food culture.
However, if all we do is eat, we will gain weight. I also want an environment where we can immerse ourselves in learning while strolling through greenery, by developing footpaths (pedestrian-only paths) on and around the campus. I also want places for books, music, and sports.
The word "taste" does not only mean the flavor of food, but also has meanings such as experience, preference, aesthetic sense, discretion, and atmosphere. It is truly a word with deep flavor. Wouldn't a campus overflowing with various "tastes" be wonderful?
The Miraisozojuku (Institute for Designing the Future) project to date has been centered on the keyword "residential campus." Nishimatsu Construction has already built a dormitory at the campus entrance. Furthermore, once Η Village is completed, the number of students living on campus will increase dramatically. University students inevitably leave during the summer and spring breaks, so we need to devise ways to make the campus a place where people are always gathered. Collaboration with Keii-iku Hospital is also important.
On top of that, I want SFC to become a "garden campus." A "gijuku" was a type of Juku or school established with donations during the Keio era, when only government schools existed, for the purpose of providing equal education to ordinary children. In the Reiwa era and beyond, I hope that while remaining a private school (shijuku), it will be a place open to many people. If it can become a place where you come to eat delicious food, become healthier, and get new ideas, then many people will still be gathering here 30 years from now. I want SFC to be at the core of a garden that is full of greenery and open to many.
When the COVID-19 pandemic is over, I want to move forward with the steps to achieve this, one by one.
To everyone taking the entrance exam for the Faculty of Policy Management tomorrow, February 17, and to everyone taking the exam for the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies the day after tomorrow, February 18, please take care of your health and I hope you can do your best! I look forward to seeing you all on campus (though depending on the situation, it might be online at first...).