As we are making the transition into the next century, it is important to foster individuals with more creativity and originality.

To accomplish this, we are striving hard to raise the academic ability of our students and create a curriculum that better suits their individual strengths and characteristics, while also building their moral character. By doing so, we hope that our students will be better prepared to deal with a more internationalized and information-oriented society.

As for high school education, we are making efforts to answer the needs of rapidly changing society, and to nurture creativity of students' individuality. On the basis of the Fifth General Plan for Akita High Schools, we are adopting new ideas such as integrated educational system of junior- and senior- high schools and characteristic lessons including "welfare", "information", "environment" and so on.

Akita Prefectural University was opened in April 1999 to both foster talents for new 21st century and to strengthen our prefecture's industrial base through carrying out advanced scientific research and developing new technologies. We are also preparing establishment of postgraduate research institute to foster high-level professionals, to give working people the opportunities of study, and to promote international exchange and contribution.

In our rapidly aging community, it is a pressing challenge to foster medical workers. To meet this needs, a great number of students are studying medicine in medical colleges.