Nagasaki has the more inhabited islands (55) designated by the remote island development law than any other prefecture. As a university based in this region, Nagasaki University has evolved the following distinctive educational programs in collaboration with those islands’ local communities, through which it has also been able to contribute to improvements in the region.

(1) Medical educational program linked with local society

    In FY2004, “Medical educational program linked with local society: Implementation of Comprehensive Health and Holistic Medicine in Goto island” was selected by MEXT for the Distinctive University Education Support Program (Good Practice), whereupon medical care and healthcare training were initiated in Goto island.

    Medical ethics experts were invited from abroad and intensive lectures were given so that students could learn theoretical background of holistic medicine. In addition, fifth year students were divided into 14 groups and were given a week-long training session. A survey after the training revealed students’ interests in medicine on remote islands and potential involvement in that type of medicine increased, suggesting that the program had been effective.

    Through high-level clinical training, interest in healthcare on remote islands is expected to increase further.

(2) Program for education of resident physicians and

    revitalization of rural community hospitals

    In FY2005, the “Program for resident education and revitalization of rural community hospitals”, which can also be considered a conclusive version of the aforementioned “Medical educational program linked with local society (selected for the 2004 Distinctive University Education Support Program)”, was chosen for the Medical Personnel Education Support Program Corresponding to Such Social Needs as Rural Community Healthcare.

    While the former program deals with training before graduation, the latter is for interns in the second half of clinical training. This program, through the renewal of rural community hospitals where medical technology is poor and obsolete, gives interns opportunity to learn the “value and significance of rural community medicine” and promotes “medical personnel settling in a rural community”. Consequently, this effort contributes to the development of next-generation of medical personnel and the rural community healthcare (Japanese version of comprehensive medical care).

    This program’s other characteristic is that of the “Revitalization consortium of rural community hospitals and healthcare”, consisting of Organization of Rural Medicine and Residency Education, hub hospitals in remote areas, and municipal government powerfully promoting the re-energization of rural community hospitals and medical services. The organization dispatches medical teams of university hospital doctors, dentists, and nurses to hub hospitals to open new doors for the medical support in rural communities.

    It is believed that experience in rural community healthcare has a tremendous educational effect on interns, and is valuable as a driving force for invigorating rural community hospitals.

(3) Innovation of education in remote islands

    With the establishment of combined classes of successive grades in the University- affiliated elementary school as an endeavor to improve and enrich school education in rural areas, a new program has been launched to train personnel for remote island development and to reform existing education according to the requests of the coming age.

    As part of this program, the Faculties of Education of Nagasaki University, Kagoshima University, and Ryukyu University concluded an “Agreement on collaboration among the three universities Faculties of Education toward innovation of education on isolated islands and other rural areas” in January, 2005. Also, “Innovation in remote island education responding to demands of a new era” was adopted by MEXT for its 2005 Special Expenses for Improving Education, and a framework was prepared to further promote educational reform focusing on isolated islands.

    (4) Improvement of high school-university cooperation A formal agreement was concluded in March, 2002 with Nagasaki Prefectural Board of Education to improve high school-university cooperation, where the three programs: “Open campus”, “Extension courses for high school students”, and “Lecture delivery” were initiated.

    The “Open campus” program attracted 2,973 people in FY 2005, and provided many potential applicants with a good chance to be acquainted with university education and facilities. Meanwhile “Extension courses for high school students” during the summer break gives students an opportunity to experience university lectures. The number of participants has increased each time (73 attended four courses in four faculties in FY2005), indicating that extension courses are becoming more popular among high school students.

    In addition, the Faculty of Economics opened regular lectures to high school students even during the academic year and 61 students attended in FY2005.

    The “Lecture delivery” program sent 167 professors and associate professors to 23 different high schools in FY 2004, and the number of students that received these lectures has reached 8,098. This “Lecture delivery” effort also helps high school students to familiarize themselves with university research and education, and in deciding the course to pursue in higher education.

    Aside from aforementioned efforts, a “Meeting of Nagasaki high school teachers and Nagasaki University faculty members” was held in FY 2005 to review and develop “Cooperation and connection between high school and university education”. Present problems encountered and their countermeasures were also discussed.