Okayama University Technical Division Holds 2026 Student Semi-Meister Certification Ceremony

June 6, 2026
National University Corporation Okayama University

◆Overview

The Technical Division, which constitutes the Technical Supervision and Management Headquarters of National University Corporation Okayama University (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Okayama City; President: Yasutomo Nasu), held a certification ceremony for the "Student Meister System" on May 11, 2026, at the Faculty of Engineering Conference Room on the Tsushima Campus. This system allows students proficient in operating research equipment to provide technical support for shared-use research equipment and facilities. A total of 17 people, including certified students, Technical Division staff, and equipment managers, participated both in person and online.

This system is a unique learning program of Okayama University where technical staff mentor students, deepening their understanding of basic principles of instrumental analysis and helping them acquire advanced measurement techniques. It is an important initiative for enhancing the research environment and fostering technical human resources.

Students aim to acquire advanced operational skills for research equipment through support tasks such as requested analysis, supervised measurements, and maintenance of shared-use research facilities. From the perspective of continuous human resource development and advancement, students begin training as "Student Semi-Meister Trainees" from their fourth year of undergraduate studies. Those who meet the specified certification requirements are certified as "Student Semi-Meisters" (master's course/doctoral前期 course students). Certified Student Semi-Meisters can then, after two more years of activity and meeting further requirements, be certified as "Student Meisters" (doctoral course/doctoral后期 course students).

At the certification ceremony, 8 students were certified as "Student Semi-Meisters," and certificates were awarded by Yoshihiko Tamura, Director of the Technical Division and Deputy Technical Director. Director Tamura offered words of encouragement and congratulations, stating: "The Student Meister System was established with the aim of continuously operating advanced research equipment and nurturing the next generation of human resources. This system emphasizes not just operating equipment, but understanding the principles of the devices and the meaning of data, thinking and acting independently, and cultivating the ability to become 'knowledge workers' who can create new value from 'knowledge.' Going forward, I hope you will not only deepen your knowledge and skills but also engage in mentoring juniors and passing on technical expertise, developing the ability to support research through collaboration. I expect that through this experience, you will gain a broad perspective and apply it to your research activities, future careers, and the improvement of Okayama University's research capabilities."

After the certification ceremony, a presentation session was held where the certified Student Semi-Meisters spoke about the characteristics of the equipment they are responsible for, their activities to date, and their future aspirations. The event was fruitful not only for enhancing the university's research environment and shared research facilities (core facilities) but also for nurturing future technical human resources.

Regarding this matter, Norihito Sato, Deputy Director (Research and Industry-Academia Collaboration), Vice President (Academic Affairs), Senior URA, and Deputy Technical Director, who is also the head of the Technical Division, commented: "At Okayama University, alongside the 'Student Meister System,' we also operate the 'Technical Researcher (TR)' system, which employs graduate students as technical assistants to support technical and educational tasks within the Technical Division, fostering technical human resources over many years. As one of Japan's leading research universities, our Technical Division, the central administrative body, leads university-wide efforts to support the research infrastructure. We will continue to take ownership and lead the development and advancement of technical human resources. We look forward to your continued support for Okayama University's initiatives."

Okayama University's "Student Meister System" has been in place since the 2016 academic year, with 46 students having participated to date (38 as of last year). This year, recruitment is planned for around August for fourth-year undergraduate students who have decided to proceed to master's/doctoral前期 courses and who have high motivation for research and a willingness to actively participate in cutting-edge research environments. (Recruitment for the target research equipment to accept students is planned for around July.)

The university was selected in the 2023 academic year for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's "Program for Promoting the Enhancement of Research Universities as Regional Cores and Distinctive Institutions (J-PEAKS)" (implemented by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science) and is strategically advancing the enhancement of distinctive research, innovation creation, international expansion, and social implementation. The Student Meister System is implemented as part of initiatives contributing to the strengthening of the research base. We continue to ask for your support for Okayama University and its Technical Division as an open, regionally-focused, and distinctive research university, and we look forward to the success of the students engaged in the Student Meister System.

This information was released by Okayama University on June 5, 2026.

▼Certified Student Semi-Meisters and Assigned Research Equipment
○Chiharu Okuda (1st year Master's student, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science and Natural Science)
・Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer_compact
・Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer_HCT/LC System (High-Performance Liquid Phase Introduction Mass Spectrometer)
○Sakyo Anzai (1st year Master's student, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science and Natural Science)
・Circular Dichroism Spectrometer
○Yuisuke Kubota (1st year Master's student, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science and Natural Science)
・GPGPU Server Shannon
○Yusuke Onishi (1st year Master's student, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science and Natural Science)
・Visualization Workstation hpz
○Shuki Isogai (1st year Master's student, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science and Natural Science)
・Airflow Analysis & Visualization Workstation frost
○Mizuki Kinugasa (1st year Master's student, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science and Natural Science)
・Flow Cytometer Galios 2lasers6colors
○Kizo Nanba (1st year Master's student, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences)
・ESI-Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry System
・nanoLC/ESI-QTOF Mass Spectrometry System
○Daisuke Sezaki (1st year Master's student, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science and Natural Science)
・Learning-type Digital Microscope System