人間の営みを支える食の大切さは言うまでもありません。農学は我々人類にとって、最も身近な学問と言えます。また、農学は大きく自然科学と社会科学の2つに大別できますが、地球上での科学だけでなく天文学、人との関わりを大切に考えたコミュニケーションとマネージメント、さらに語学などの幅広い学問を学ぶ領域です。本学ではそのすべてが揃う『総合農学』という考えを大切にした教育・研究を展開しています」

北から南まで日本各地に設置されたフィールド施設

　稲のことは稲に聞け、農業のことは農民に聞け」は横井時敬初代学長の言葉です。その言葉通り、観念論を排して実際から学ぶ、フィールド科学を重視した実学教育の伝統が東京農大にはあります。都市に位置する世田谷キャンパス、田園地帯の厚木キャンパス、大自然のオホーツクキャンパスに加え、北は網走寒冷地農場（北海道網走市）から、南は宮古亜熱帯農場（沖縄県宮古島市）まで、日本各地に拠点を有していることが大きな特徴です。

　日本全国を網羅する施設は、本学の誇りの一つです。学生たちにはぜひこれらを活用し、五感で感じながら学んでいただきたい。また、学びの場は施設や実験室だけに留まりません。2020年はコロナ禍という未曽有の事態が起き、従来のような学び方が難しくなりました。このような時期だからこそ学生たちに推奨したのは、自宅近辺を散策し、観察をすることです。身近なフィールドでも学ぶこと、感じることはたくさんあるのですから」　学生にとって最も身近なフィールドであるキャンパスは19年9月に厚木キャンパスに肉・乳・農産加工実習室などを備えた実験実習棟を、20年４月には世田谷キャンパスに研究発信のハブとなる「NODAI Science Port」を新設するなど、施設設備の整備が進んでいる。さらに今後めざすのは、「農」のある風景のキャンパスづくりです。山川、田畑、海のある風景は誰しも心和みます。農を学ぶ人材育成には、身近な農林水産資源との触れ合いが不可欠です。農学の総合大学であることが明確になるキャンパスづくりを推進します。

　例えば、キャンパス内に小さな水田を作る。これだけでも季節感を得られ、生産基礎を学べるなどの効果が生まれるだろう。さらに、学園内の小中学生と共に行う体験学習や、古農具を活用した施業、メディア発信など、地域貢献も含めた様々な活用が想定される。

「人材を世界に還す」ための取り組みとは

　東京農大が教育研究の成果を世界に還元するために力を入れているのは、国際化の推進とアントレプレナー教育です。国際化の推進は、「東京農大の人材を世界に植える計画」と題し、様々な取り組みが行われています。語学教育は海外協定校の語学講義のオンライン履修により、ＴＯＥＩＣ800点を到達目標に大きく強化します。また、単位互換で海外協定校の講義科目のオンライン履修を可能にし、逆に海外に対しては日本文化の発信を行いたい。

　国際化推進の大きな目標は、本学のもつ治水事業や緑化事業などの専門技術を世界各国に発信し、植え付けていくことです。そのための要となるのはやはり人材ですから、学内での国際化教育強化のほかに、海外研究機関・海外で活躍する卒業生との連携強化や、グローバル連携センターの機能強化などを計画しています。

　もう一つのアントレプレナー教育は、企業家教育とも呼ばれ、ベンチャー企業を起業し、発展させるための素養を修得することをめざすものだ。（株）ディー・エヌ・エーなど、同大が既に多く締結している包括連携協定を活用し、連携企業家を招きその視点から実学教育を実践。さらには就農を希望する学生へのサポートも行う。

　以上、東京農大は、理論と実践を重視する実学主義により社会貢献をめざします。その精神は、今後も受け継がれていきます。

　若い皆様には、ぜひ色々なことにチャレンジし、失敗し、恥をかきながら学んでもらいたい。恥というのはネガティブなものではなく、自分自身の成長につながるものです。チャレンジや失敗をたくさんしながら学べる環境が本学には揃っています。

The Leading University of “Agricultural and Life Sciences” in Japan which Scientifically Studies the “Future” of the Earth and Life

It goes without saying the importance of food that supports human activities. Agricultural science is the most familiar discipline for us human beings. Although agricultural science can be broadly divided into two categories, natural science and social science, it is an extensive field of study that encompasses not only science on the earth but also astronomy, communication and management that value human relationship, language and more. We, Tokyo University of Agriculture (Tokyo NODAI), are developing education and research that value the idea of "comprehensive agriculture" that includes all of the aspects.

Facilities for Practical Training All Over Japan from North to South

"Ask rice about rice and ask farmers about agriculture" is the words of the first president of Tokyo NODAI, Tokiyoshi Yokoi. As the words suggest, Tokyo NODAI has a tradition of practical education with an emphasis on Field Science, which eliminates idealism and encourages to learn from reality. One of the major features of our university is that we have learning facilities all over Japan from the Abashiri Cold Region Farm (Abashiri City, Hokkaido) in the north to the Miyako Subtropical Farm (Miyakojima City, Okinawa Prefecture) in the south, in addition to our three campuses, Setagaya Campus in the city, Atsugi Campus in the countryside and the Okhotsk Campus in the wilderness. We are proud of the facilities that cover all over Japan. I would like our students to take advantage of these and learn through their five senses. Also, learning opportunities exist not only in the facilities and laboratories. In 2020, an unprecedented circumstance brought about by the COVID-19 outbreak made it difficult for students to learn in the conventional method. That is why I encouraged my students to take a walk and observe their neighborhoods. There are many things to learn and feel in the fields we are familiar with.

Our campuses, the most familiar field for students, have continued its advancement by improving the facilities. Agricultural Experiment and Practice Facilities Building was built in Atsugi Campus in September, 2019. This facility is equipped with meat, milk, and agricultural processing training rooms. In April, 2020, “Nodai Science Port”, which was expected to be the hub for research dissemination, was inaugurated in Setagaya Campus. In the future, we will aim to create a landscape of "agriculture" in the campuses. The scenery with mountains, fields and oceans are soothing. In order to foster human resources contributing to agriculture, it is indispensable for the students to come into contact with agriculture, forestry and fishery resources. We will promote the campus development that demonstrates Tokyo NODAI is a university of comprehensive agriculture. For example, just by creating a small paddy field on campus, it would give students a sense of the seasons and would allow them to learn the basics of production. In addition to that, various uses can be expected such as hands-on learning activities with the elementary and junior high school students, practices using old farm tools, media dissemination, and community contributions.

Our Initiatives to "Return Human Resources to the World"

Tokyo NODAI is focusing on promoting internationalization and entrepreneurship education in order to return the outcomes of education and research to the world. The promotion of globalization will be implemented under the theme of “Delivering Global Human Resources of Tokyo NODAI to the World,” and various efforts have been made. Language education will be greatly reinforced by encouraging students to take online language courses offered by the global partner universities with the target TOEIC score of 800. In addition, I would like to make it possible for our students to take lectures by the global partner universities online with credit transfer. On the other hand, for the global partner universities, I would like to spread understanding of Japanese culture. The major goal of promoting globalization is to disseminate and instill the expertise of our university, such as water resource management and greening of devastated areas, around the world. Human resources are the key to achieve this goal, so in addition to reinforcing international education within the university, we are planning to strengthen cooperation with research institutes and our graduates who are active overseas and enhance the functions of the Center for Global Initiatives at Tokyo NODAI.

Entrepreneurship education aims for students to acquire the foundation to start up and develop venture companies. Utilizing the comprehensive cooperation agreements that we have already concluded with many companies such as DeNA Co., Ltd., we invite collaborative entrepreneurs to conduct practical education from their perspectives. We also provide support to students who wish to work in agricultural industries. As mentioned above, Tokyo NODAI aspires to contribute to society through implementing Practical Science that emphasizes fusion of theory and practice. That spirit will continue to be passed on.

I would like young people like you to try different things, fail, and learn without being afraid of getting embarrassed. Being embarrassed is not a negative thing, it is something that leads to your own growth. Tokyo NODAI has an environment where you can learn through challenges and mistakes.