To start the year of 2022 (“Mizunoe-tora” in the Oriental zodiac), Chairman and President Takayoshi Kawazoe addressed the faculty and staff at a New Year gathering held on January 5. This annual event is also held as a faculty and staff development seminar.

Dr. Kawazoe's presentation entitled “What Osaka Dental University should aim for the future” featured two policies. One of them is to improve the pass rate for the National Dentist Examination.
The other policy is to focus on the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). ODU is promoting research and education toward achievement of the 17 goals of SDGs, such as adding the SDGs promoting activities to the teaching evaluation list from 2020.

The president explained the mid-term plans for growth (education skills, research skills, clinical skills, the Faculty of Health Sciences, and status as a comprehensive medical university) with specific data, and concluded his speech with the following New Year resolution:
“The basic goal of Osaka Dental University is to be a comprehensive medical university, and we are ready to do our best to aim for “the achievement of mid-term plans” and “increasing the pass rate for the National Dentist Examination.” Towards the future, Osaka Dental University will focus on developmental targets of SDGs particularly 1) No Poverty, 4) Quality Education, and 5) Gender Equality.”