In academic year 2008, Iwate Prefectural University entered a new era as it celebrated its 10th anniversary. This year was also a halfway point in the school's 6-year mid-term plan. As we continue to develop our basic school objectives, we hope to instill in our students ambition and problem-solving ability, by providing more opportunities that encourage them to learn from real-life research topics. We aim to contribute to the community by making use of our education and research for solving community issues; to educate leaders of the 21st century; and to be a creative exchange center of knowledge.