"KNIT a Network! Role Model Roundtable" is a project that invites various guests to talk about their lives, work, and other topics related to the diverse jobs involved in university administration, using an interview format.
On August 6th, we held our fourth session, and we had the opportunity to hear from Ms. Chisato Takeya, Auditor of Hokkaido University, on the topic of "What is an auditor?"
As I listened to Auditor Takeya's career history, I heard many interesting stories, such as her experiences in various roles at the Hokkaido Prefectural Government, and the strange request from the media to photograph her in an apron for a "morning scene" when she became the first female department head at the main office in over 20 years (in reality, it was her husband who wore the apron and prepared breakfast).
The role of "auditor" was a point of interest for many participants, as we had received questions in advance asking, "What kind of work does this entail?" It was explained that the role of auditor involves auditing the university's management, which is based on the president's leadership, from a position independent of the president's authority.
Regarding the difference between our organization and the similarly named "Audit Office," we were told that the Audit Office is an organization under the authority of the President, and its role is to support the President's self-audit, watching over the university from a different perspective than that of the auditors. This explanation seemed to convince all the staff working on the ground, who nodded in agreement.
Furthermore, as "things I want to convey to everyone," they listed 10 points, including "whether you find your work enjoyable or difficult depends on you," "a reward awaits you after a tough day's work," and "someone will always notice your hard work." These are words that resonate with people in any profession or position.
Regarding the topic of "balancing childcare and career," a pre-submitted question about women's career paths, Professor Noriko Nagahori, a specially appointed professor at the Diversity Research Environment Promotion Office, also joined the discussion and shared her own experiences. We learned that it is difficult for anyone to achieve all of their current missions and aspirations at once, and we heard about various ways of balancing work and family, such as the ability to prioritize and protect only what is important.
Furthermore, Auditor Takeya said that no matter what path you choose, if you made that decision after much deliberation, it's important to believe in yourself at the time you made that decision. I think this was a great source of encouragement for those struggling to balance life and career.
Finally, as he will be stepping down as auditor on August 31st, he gave a message of gratitude and encouragement to the participants. Thank you, Auditor Takeya, for sharing so many valuable insights. Thank you also to everyone who participated.
Guests: Auditor Takeya and DJ Fujii from Ree-D
Professor Ree-D Nagahori also joined us.
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The next Knit a Network! Researcher Exchange Meeting will be on Thursday, August 27th, and our guest will be Professor Kaori Ota from Muroran Institute of Technology, a Knit partner institution. We hope to see you there!
KNIT a Network! Role Model Roundtable Discussion ★ Guest: Kaori Ota, Associate Professor, Regional Revitalization Research and Development Center, Muroran Institute of Technology (August 27)
