Greeting

I am the President, Satoru SATO. I graduated from the Department of Civil Engineering at Tokyo Institute of Technology, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels, over 20 years ago.
I worked at a marine civil engineering construction company for nearly 10 years. Currently, I am employed at a construction consulting firm, where I have been working for 12 years. I am a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.Jp) in the Civil Engineering section, specializing in Port, Harbor & Airport Engineering. At present, I am aiming to obtain a second specialization in Materials & Structures within the Civil Engineering section.

Around 2018, I had the opportunity to become a student of the Open University of Japan. I graduated from the Faculty of Liberal Arts, Society and Industry Course, in the second semester of the 2021 academic year. As I am interested in education, so I re-enrolled in the Psychology and Education Course of the Faculty of Liberal Arts in the 2023 academic year and am scheduled to graduate in the second semester of the 2024 academic year. In the 2025 academic year, I will maintain my student status as a non-degree-seeking student.

I have a general interest in social sciences (sociology, economics, law, political science, etc.). In the first half of 2025, I plan to apply for a bachelor’s degree in sociology through the National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education (NIAD-QE). I have already completed the required reports and plan to submit my application by the end of March. The written examination will be held in June, and the final results will be announced in late August. I will report the outcome once it is available.

I understand that it can be challenging for graduates of universities without engineering departments, such as the Open University of Japan, to secure employment as engineers or build a career in engineering. Given this, I believe it is necessary to consider what kind of support can be provided.

Many individuals who have graduated from other universities or are licensed Professional Engineers are also pursuing lifelong learning at the Open University of Japan. It is possible to enroll as a single-course student or a non-degree-seeking student, starting with just one course, which keeps costs low. If desired, students can also enroll as full-degree-seeking students and undertake graduation research. Additionally, it is possible to advance to the graduate school of the Open University of Japan.

I hope to contribute, even in a small way, to activities that promote the development of science and technology and the improvement of the national economy, as outlined in the Professional Engineers Act.

Currently, We host online lectures and study sessions several times a year. Unless the speaker requests otherwise, these events are open to anyone, not just members, so please feel free to attend.

Best regards.