Gifu University/Tottori University Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences was established in April 2019. Until the establishment of this joint graduate school, Gifu University had been organizing the United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences with Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Iwate University, and Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, while Tottori University had been organizing the United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences with Yamaguchi University and Kagoshima University, and they have been responsible for the training of researchers in various fields of veterinary sciences. Both universities have co-created a new graduate school based on the achievements cultivated in different graduate schools. The first students enrolled in the graduate school will receive a PhD degree in 2022. Excellent students can complete the program in three years, so that some students already received a PhD degree.

The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences offers educational programs to train “Animal Hygiene and Public Health Specialists,” “One Health Specialists,” and “Treatment of Intractable Diseases and Drug Discovery Specialists” to provide advanced specialization based on the veterinary generalist education at the undergraduate level. The objectives are to train animal hygiene and public health specialists who can take the lead in the fight against infectious diseases such as swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease; one health specialists with the ability to think about maintaining worldwide health; and treatment of intractable diseases and drug discovery specialists for having the ability to promote translational research to clinically apply results from basic research to technologies and drug discovery.

There is also the Long-term Enrollment System that allows students to choose a term of four years or more at the time of admission, and credits can be earned also online, so that a wide variety of students, including working professionals, can study according to their circumstances. The “6th Science, Technology and Innovation Basic Plan” approved by the Cabinet in 2021 states that it will strengthen financial support and improve treatment for PhD students. In the future, living expenses and research expenses will be supported so that you can concentrate on your research. Regardless of your current job title or position, we recommend that you enroll in our Graduate School if you have a desire to acquire a high level of expertise.

The entire faculty and staff of the Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences will continue to make every effort to develop and enhance the education and research of the Graduate School. Your understanding and support will be greatly appreciated.

I was appointed Dean of the Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Tottori University, on April 1, 2025. Our graduate school was established as the Joint Graduate School of Gifu and Tottori Universities in April 2019. As of April 2025, it marks the seventh year since its foundation, and by the end of the 2024 academic year it has produced seven doctoral degree graduates. Our education and research is dedicated to developing veterinary science specialists with advanced expertise, technical skills, and high ethical standards, equipping them to play key leadership roles in global society and in the local community. We aim to foster educators and researchers who are able to contribute to the promotion of advanced research on animal and human health, including ecological integrity, and contribute to the advancement of veterinary science.

In recent years, due to the emergence of various contagious diseases affecting domestic animals in Japan, such as the highly pathogenic avian influenza and classical swine fever, veterinarians are increasingly required to have more sophisticated knowledge, skills, and specialized expertise. In addition to the education and research aimed at training researchers we are committed to developing specialists who can meet the practical needs of society in areas such as infectious disease control and advanced veterinary medicine. To this end, our graduate school has established training programs to foster specialists in the following three areas:

i)

Animal hygiene and public health specialists focusing on infectious disease control

ii)

One health specialist dedicated to solving the problems of zoonotic diseases through a comprehensive understanding of humans, animals, and the environment

iii)

Specialists bridging basic science and clinical applications, specializing in the treatment of intractable diseases and drug discovery.

Our graduate school conducts joint education with Gifu University and, since its establishment, we have promoted the use of online platforms for education and research guidance while reinforcing the necessary facilities. These are also utilized to support many working professionals who are aiming to obtain a degree while being employed away from the university. For working students, we have introduced a long-term enrollment system in addition to online training to reinforce support for their studies. Furthermore, we are offering various forms of financial assistance, including support for living expenses and research costs. Thus, we will continue to develop an environment where students can concentrate on their research without anxiety. Our graduate school is responding to globalization and actively promoting academic conferences and research activities overseas. In the 2024 academic year, we renewed our academic exchange agreement with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Airlangga University, Indonesia, and both the faculty and students are deepening their international exchanges, including participation in face-to-face symposiums.

All of the faculty and staff are steadfastly committed to advancing and enhancing the education and research at the Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences. We appreciate your continued understanding and support as we strive to achieve these goals.