University of the Ryukyus

Dean NAKACHI Soushun

The Faculty of Agriculture, the only academic institution in Japan’s subtropical zone, provides excellent education opportunities and conducts research on agro-forest production, agricultural development, environmental conservation, and bio-resource utilization while taking into account the subtropical island characteristics.

The Faculty of Agriculture comprises four departments: the Department of Subtropical Agro-Production Sciences, Department of Subtropical Agro-Environmental Sciences, Department of Regional Agricultural Engineering, and Department of Subtropical Biochemistry and Biotechnology. The Department of Subtropical Agro-Production Sciences provides comprehensive education and conducts research on the rational use and recycling of regional resources in order to establish sustainable agriculture. The Department of Subtropical Agro- Environmental Sciences provides education and conducts research on living organisms related to agriculture and forestry in order to establish better harmony between human beings and their natural environment. The Department of Regional Agricultural Engineering deals with education and research on the subtropical rural space and biomassrecycling systems for generating a sound environment. The Department of Subtropical Biochemistry and Biotechnology provides education and conducts research on subtropical bio-resources, food resources, and usable components for functional food production.

Agriculture is as an integrated science comprising natural and social sciences; its scope ranges from basic to applied sciences. Therefore, a synthesized and well-balanced curriculum has been designed. While firstyear students have a common education program and second- to fourthyear students attend special lectures, practice sessions, experiments and seminars that help them to develop professional skills. In addition, careeroriented education is provided to the students. On the basis of student evaluation results,academic staffs improve their teaching curriculum,designs,and methods every year.

The Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences provides advanced education and research opportunities to master’s students in the disciplines of Bioproduction, Environmental Sciences and Technology, and Biosciences and Biotechnology in order to enable them to develop professional expertise. In addition, students who aspire to become professional researchers can pursue a doctoral program at the United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences consisting of Kagoshima University, University of the Ryukyus and Saga University.

The Faculty of Agriculture aims to contribute to regional and international society development by improving global education and research quality by taking advantage of the subtropical island characteristics.