Rethinking the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care | Kiyoka Nozue, Dean of the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care
October 10, 2023
I was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care on October 1, 2023. When you take on a new role, you become more conscious of things you had only vaguely considered before. Lately, I have been thinking about what kind of faculty the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care is and the significance of its existence at Keio. With significant changes in population and disease structures, as well as in the health, medical, and welfare systems, the paradigm shift in healthcare is rapidly advancing. We at the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care must strengthen our commitment to nurturing leaders who will shape the future of nursing and medical care and contribute to health and welfare, creating new knowledge through practice and research, and disseminating and returning these results to society.
Nursing, the pillar of our faculty's education, is a body of knowledge and a practical science dedicated to protecting life and health and supporting people's daily lives so they can live their lives to the fullest. To contribute to people's well-being with nursing expertise, it is extremely important to respect life, value individual values and dignity, and continuously cultivate a rich sensibility and humanity. It is on this foundation that specialized knowledge and skills can be effectively utilized and become useful. Furthermore, the ability to innovate with an eye to the future and international competence are also very important. Therefore, the faculty provides education that scientifically explores theory and skills under a comprehensive curriculum consisting of the fields of human and social sciences, nursing science, health science, and integrated studies. And the luxurious environment of learning on two campuses supports the students' learning. As I wrote previously in the Okashira Nikki (Dean's Diary) , students begin their university life at SFC, a place where individuality and free thinking are respected and expected. They cultivate the ability to think and conceive ideas flexibly and deeply, untethered by existing systems. They then move to the Shinanomachi campus to learn more specialized and advanced medical care. It is reassuring to see our graduates, active in various fields, carrying the present and the future. While this is a testament to their own abilities, I believe that the education provided by our faculty also plays a part.
I believe that the education offered at the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care—that is, to respect life, value diverse ways of living and values, and acquire a rich sensibility, humanity, and solid expertise—is an important education that aligns with the Juku's philosophy of nurturing leaders. Therefore, I began my work as dean thinking that it would be wonderful if students from other faculties could take our faculty's courses as basic subjects, and that this might be something not done at other comprehensive universities. I look forward to working with you all.