INTRODUCTION

The International Student Center was established by Oita University in May 2000, and it was formally recognized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in April 2003. In April 2007, the Center was reconstructed as the Center for International Education and Research and was restructured again as the Global Education and Intercultural AdvancementCenter (GAIA) in April 2018.

The purpose of GAIA is to promote the exchange activities of Oita University by supporting both inbound exchange students and Oita University students who seek to study abroad (or outbound exchange students). GAIA supports inbound exchange students by providing courses in the Japanese language and Japan-related subjects, and by providing them with consultation whenever necessary. GAIA also supports Oita University students by providing them with global leadership training, as well as consultation and information to enable them to be successful outbound exchange students.

The Center also conducts research on the Japanese language,Japanese studies,international exchanges and international education. It also promotes academic activities such as international seminars and symposia between the Center and world partner universities. Exchanges are promoted between international and Japanese students not only on campus but also within the wider local community.

Global Oita Medical Advanced Research Center for Health （ GO-MARCH ） had been established in April 2018 to foster the international development of medical research and technology, which Oita University has been promoting until now. To complete the mission, GO-MARCH promotes and supports the innovative international research projects as mentioned below, which have been carried out by the Faculty of Medicine and Research Promotion Institute of Oita University.

• Training program for digestive endoscopy technique in countries such as Asian countries and Russia.
• Fostering human resources in health care services, which is designed in the framework of East Kyusyu Medical Valley.
• International collaboration research on Helicobacter pylori, Rabies virus and parasitic diseases etc.
• Providing international human resources in health care service in Asian countries through Japan-Asia youth exchange by SAKURA Exchange Program of Science Japanese Science and Technology Agency (JST), and also by Oita University Bangkok office.

I have been assigned as the director of Global Oita Medical Advanced Research Center for Health (GO-MARCH) since April 1st, 2018 when the center was established. The name is somewhat long; however, it is easy to remember as the contracted name; GO-MARCH.

The main goal of GO-MARCH is to develop a global network for medical care and research and to expand research abilities and enhance medical techniques. Especially, we would like to promote advanced international researches on “minimally invasive medical treatment” and “infectious diseases”, that we have a high rating internationally. These activities will promote global launch of the medical and pharmaceutical industry, medical-engineering cooperation, multiplied effects on various industries, and then activate local economy.

GO-MARCH has three branches; “Global Human Resources and Advanced Education Unit”, “Global Medical Research Promotion Unit”, and “Global Innovation of Healthcare and Clinical Service Unit” and promotes high level of medical care and research to get grant-in-aid such as Inter-University Exchange Project (MEXT), AMED, JICA, JSPS and JST.

In “Global Human Resources and Advanced Education Unit”, we try to establish the training program for digestive endoscopy techniques in Asia, Russia, Middle-East and Africa using our rich human resources and technology in the field of digestive endoscopy and minimally invasive medical treatment. We have Oita University Bangkok Office in Bangkok, Thailand, which is the first overseas office in our university, and can always collect hot information in Asia and try to discover new international collaboration. Bangkok Office is taking care of Japan-Asia youth exchange by SAKURA Exchange Program (JST) and has communication with Thai high school students who want to become researchers in the future. Based on the great success of Bangkok Office, we have also established new similar office in Surabaya, Indonesia, and we invite Indonesian medical students to Oita University on a regular schedule to teach medical research techniques.

In “Global Medical Research Promotion Unit”, we plan to promote international collaborative studies mainly on infectious diseases. We have already performed excellent studies on Helicobacter pylori and rabies by getting large-scale grant-in-aid. In the study of rabies, SATREPS, a large-scale grant supported by the combination of AMED and JICA has been obtained, and researches aimed for the development of novel anti-rabies drug have been on going both in Oita and Manilla, Philippines. In addition, we are establishing the center of excellence to stimulate for H. pylori researches by the collaboration with not only Asia but also African countries.

In “Global Innovation of Healthcare and Clinical Service Unit”, we are fostering human resources in health care services which are involving the framework of East Kyushu Medical Valley.

GO-MARCH has just established in 2018, so we are currently performing studeis on “minimally invasive medical treatment” and “infectious diseases” using existed grant-in-aid; however, we try our best to make the useful research environment for many researches in Oita University who are planning to make new international collaborative study. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to working with you.

January 2019
Yoshio Yamaoka, M.D., Ph.D.,
Director, Global Oita Medical Advanced Research Center for Health (GO-MARCH)