While the presence of Japan in the international community is decreasing, it becomes a critical challenge for Japanese industry, mainly in the manufacturing sector, to develop human resources from the global era, the so-called "global human resources". However, there are many problems to be solved, such as the delay of global human resource development in major universities and enterprises, inward thinking and inadequate international experience of young people, unclear career paths, and exclusive devotion to leadership development.

The articles in this special issue explore the need for global human resources and the required ideal candidate in civil engineering, discuss topics including the ideal way of education in universities and enterprises necessary for human resource development, matching of human resource strategy in civil engineering industry with human resources developed in universities, the current situation of young engineers who are active on the global stage, and how "global human resources" can be the trump card to safeguard the future of civil engineering which remains stagnant.