National Institute of Technology, Yonago College

National Institute of Technology (KOSEN), Yonago College (“Yonago KOSEN” as abbreviated in Japanese) was established in 1964 by the Japanese Government for the purpose of fostering highly skilled engineers. An organizational change in 2004 resulted in Yonago KOSEN being placed under the jurisdiction of National Institute of Technology (KOSEN), which is an independent agency administering 51 KOSEN campuses and about 50,000 students. The KOSEN educational system is very unique, admitting junior high school graduates into 5-year associate degree or 7-year bachelor’s degree programs.

Yonago KOSEN started out as a college with three departments: Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Industrial Chemistry. The Department of Architecture was added in 1969, and the Department of Electrical Control Engineering in 1985. The Department of Industrial Chemistry was reorganized into the Department of Materials Science in 1994, and the Department of Electrical Engineering into the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2004. In addition, we saw the establishment of our 2-year Advanced Engineering Courses in 2004, commencing 7-year bachelor’s degree programs in Production Systems Engineering, Materials Science, and Architecture. Yonago KOSEN is therefore currently composed of five departments and three advanced engineering courses, with about 1,100 students enrolled.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering aims to train specialists who have creative abilities (to support the technology of manufacturing which will be significant for the future of Japan.) The educational philosophy involves conducting practical technical education that emphasizes experiments and practical training in collaboration with local communities. In the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the training of practical engineers who have the ability to handle mechanical control systems, as well as design and develop mechanical systems established on the fundamentals of mechanics and dynamics through the study of mechanisms, structures, and materials is the main goal of the department.