Professor Haruo Takemura,
former Director,
Cybermedia Center,
Osaka University
I succeeded Prof. Shimojo as director of the Cybermedia Center on August 26, 2007. Since becoming a professor in the Information Media Education and Research Department in April 2001, I have been involved at the center primarily with operation of the information education system. From the standpoint of total integration, I am currently striving for the development of the Cybermedia Center.
Since founding the Cybermedia Center in April 2000, the information infrastructure of Osaka University has grown steadily with the Cybermedia Center as the core: we began operating the Toyonaka Education and Research Center in 2002, initiated information infrastructure design organization in February 2006, launched the Information Promotion Department in April 2006. During that time, we were involved in a number of projects with the cooperation of various entities and individuals. We introduced the new KOAN academic affairs information system, upgraded our supercomputer, provided a cluster calculation environment by adding a vector computer, performed repair and maintenance of the IT authentication infrastructure for the entire university, performed repair and maintenance of the e-Learning environment infrastructure of the entire university and, repair and maintenance of ODIN 5th period. Thanks to this cooperation, we were able to grow smoothly as a national joint usage facility and as a core organization involved in information infrastructure for education/research at Osaka University.
Four years has now elapsed since being incorporated, and our midterm plan is about to receive the provisional appraisal next year. In other words, it is the period which calls into question the results of the midterm plan. We think the plan is coming along smoothly, but at the same time, we have had to cope with various transformations that could not be foreseen when the plan was initially formulated. We sense the need for further commitment to university intranet infrastructure so we can continue to carry out our mission and support growth of the fledgling “Osaka University” following consolidation with Osaka University of Foreign Studies, without forgetting the initial concept of the plan. At the same time we also feel there is a need to work on establishing the system required for reliably operating information communication infrastructure that is indispensable for education and research, while holding down cost. Because have an extremely limited number of data technicians compared to western universities, we would like to pursue various possibilities that would not be constrained by the previous example.
Efficient operation of the information infrastructure by the entire university cannot be realized by the Information Promotion Department and Cybermedia Center alone; it will be possible only after there is close cooperation among various authorities. This will also require further move toward new plan proposal, implementation and assessment with the information infrastructure design organization as the core. We therefore ask for your continued understanding and cooperation.