National Diversity Network • Osaka University Symposium - "Progressive Initiatives of Empowering Network for Diversity" held

On Thursday, February 7, the National Diversity Network • Osaka University Symposium - "Progressive Initiatives of Empowering Network for Diversity" was held at Osaka University Hall.

This symposium was held as a part of the only project selected in the 2018 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) "Initiative for the Implementation of the Diversity Research Environment (National Network Core Institute)," led by Osaka University with Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology and IBM Japan as cooperative institutes with help from related committees at the Science Council of Japan.

Some 390 individuals attended the symposium, primarily university faculty and staff members participating in the National Diversity Network, with corporate officers and persons in charge of gender equality also in attendance.

Starting off the symposium were greetings from WATANABE Sonoko (Deputy Director General, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Science and Technology Policy Bureau)) and AIZAWA Masuo (Adviser/Management and Administration, Japan Science and Technology Agency/Professor Emeritus and Former President, Tokyo Institute of Technology).

Following this, a keynote speech was given by MURAKI Atsuko (Former-Vice Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare/Visiting Professor, Center for Gender Equality Promotion, Osaka University) entitled “The Realization of Diversity Empowers the Organization.”

Later, President Nishio gave a speech entitled “Towards the Construction of a National Diversity Network,” expressing his determination, and SOWA Nobuko (Executive Officer, Global Business Service Project Headquarters, IBM Japan) and MITSUNARI Miho (Vice Chair, Science Council of Japan/Vice President, Nara Women's University) both gave speeches of their own.

Finally, representatives from each regional block from across Japan presented their action goals, with Professor Muraki recapping the presentations. A number of individuals were able to portray the possibilities of a virtuous cycle to create a flexible age of diversity, allowing this symposium to create even more momentum towards the realization of diversity.

For more information, click here (Center for Gender Equality Promotion) . (link in Japanese)

A greeting from Deputy Director General WATANABE

President Nishio gives a speech

Keynote speech by Visiting Professor MURAKI Atsuko

A scene from the venue