2024-25

Associate Vice President from the University of Manchester Visits Osaka University

Professor Stephen Flint, Associate Vice President for Internationalisation of the University of Manchester (UoM), visited Osaka University (OU) on 21 January 2025. UoM and OU have maintained a deep collaboration since signing a strategic partnership agreement last year.

Executive Vice President Koichi FUKASE, Executive Vice President Beverley Anne YAMAMOTO, and other members of OU welcomed the UoM delegation to discuss future collaboration.

It is anticipated that the meeting will lead to the further development of academic exchange between the two universities.

University College London and Osaka University hold a Joint Symposium on Ageing and Dementia

A cross-disciplinary symposium on ageing and dementia between University College London (UCL) and Osaka University (OU) was jointly organised at UCL on 11 and 12 November 2024. Professor Gill Livingston at the Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Science, UCL; and Professor Manabu Ikeda at the Department of Psychiatry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine led the organisation. Twenty-two researchers from UCL and thirteen from OU in cross-field research domains participated in the sessions and held extensive discussions with aspirations for deeper and novel research collaborations to address critical issues on local, national, and global scales.

Both institutions have been working together on the above research themes since 2019 by establishing a virtual joint laboratory and concluding a Memorandum of Understanding to further accelerate joint research in this field. Outstanding research results have already been produced, including:

• Social functioning in dementia scale jointly developed by Associate Professor Andrew Sommerlad at UCL, Associate Professor Maki Suzuki, and Professor Manabu Ikeda’s team at OU; and,
• The 2024 report of The Lancet standing Commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and care with contributions from Associate Professor Kokoro Shirai from the Department of Public Health at Osaka University’s Graduate School of Medicine.

This initiative undertaken by world-leading research institutions on dementia in the UK and Japan has additionally been strengthened by the increased participation of early-career researchers and experts from a broader range of disciplines.

1. Professor Manabu Ikeda, Department of Psychiatry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine
2. Assistant Professor Yuto Satake, Department of Psychiatry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine
3. Associate Professor Kokoro Shirai, Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine
4. Assistant Professor Liu Keyang, Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine
5. Dr. Yang Yiyi, Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine
6. Professor Satoshi Hattori, Biomedical Statistics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine
7. Professor Masayuki Hirata, Department of Neurological Diagnosis and Restoration, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine
8. Associate Professor Maki Suzuki, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine
9. Professor Kei Kamide, Health Promotion System Science, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine
10. Professor Mai Kabayama, Integrated General Nursing Science, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine
11. Associate Professor Miyae Yamakawa, Geriatric Nursing, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine
12. Professor Tsuyoshi Sekitani, Division of Advanced Electronic Devices, SANKEN
13. Associate Professor Teppei Araki, Division of Advanced Electronic Devices, SANKEN

Young immunology researchers from University College London (UCL) and the University of Melbourne were invited to the International School on Advanced Immunology

Three young researchers from University College London (UCL) and the University of Melbourne, both Global Knowledge Partners (GKP) of Osaka University, in collaboration with the Immunology Frontier Research Center (IFReC), were invited to the 3rd International School on Advanced Immunology (the School). Organized by IFReC and ImmunoSensation2 at the University of Bonn, the School took place on 27-31 October 2024 at the Awaji Yumebutai International Conference Center. Professor Lucy Walker from UCL also participated as a lecturer.

A total of 53 participants, including three young researchers from Osaka University, were selected from among 336 applicants worldwide. In addition to lectures by 15 leading immunologists, each participant presented their research findings. The School received high praise for the exceptional quality of the research presented and the effectiveness of the networking opportunities it provided for the next generation of immunology leaders. The School contributes to the development of young immunology researchers worldwide.

Through the selection process, one young researcher from Monash University, another GKP of Osaka University, also participated.

The 26th Academic Exchange Seminar between Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Osaka University held

The 26th Academic Exchange Seminar between Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) and Osaka University (OU) was held from 6 to 8 November 2024. This academic exchange seminar with SJTU, one of OU's strategic partners, has been alternately held between the universities since 1995. On this occasion, over 100 individuals from OU and SJTU were in attendance, including 20 members from OU, making for a lively seminar.

This year’s seminar featured seven fields, including joining and welding, materials, laser, naval architecture & ocean engineering, industrial biotechnology, combustion engineering, and smart cities. Workshops and facility tours for each field were held at various locations within SJTU.

The ceremony on 7 November began with opening addresses by Dr. ZHOU Cheng, Deputy Secretary of the CPC SJTU Committee, and Professor FUKASE Koichi, Executive Vice President for Global Engagement at OU. The addresses celebrated the seminar's long history and the intergenerational exchange it has fostered, while also expressing expectations for the further deepening of existing collaborations and the expansion of exchange into new fields.

Subsequently, representatives from each of the seminar's subcommittees reported on the achievements and progress of research collaborations. Finally, it was confirmed that this seminar will be continued in the future to further strengthen cooperation.

Prior to the opening ceremony, a meeting between Dr. ZHOU Cheng. Deputy Secretary of the CPC SJTU Committee, and Professor FUKASE Koichi, Executive Vice President of OU, was held. During the meeting, Professor FUKASE explained the initiatives leading up to the "Inochi Declaration," which will be issued at the Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai, Japan, and gained the endorsement of SJTU. The two sides also looked back on the long history of exchange between the two universities and agreed to cooperate even more closely in the future to further advance research and education.

President from Shanghai Jiao Tong University Visits Osaka University

Professor DING Kuiling, President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) visited Osaka University (OU) on 30 October 2024. SJTU and OU have had a deep and long collaboration history over the years, including SJTU becoming one of our Global Knowledge Partners in September 2021. This visit marks the first time President DING has come to OU since he became the President of SJTU in February 2023.

President NISHIO Shojiro, Executive Vice President FUKASE Koichi, Executive Vice President YAMAMOTO Beverly Anne, and other OU members welcomed SJTU’s delegation. President NISHIO gave a short speech regarding his visits to SJTU in 2016 and 2017. Both universities discussed the future of their education and research collaboration.

It is expected that together we will make significant strides in addressing global challenges and shaping the future of education and research.

Rector Magnificus from the University of Groningen Visits Osaka University

Professor Jacquelien Scherpen, Rector Magnificus of the University of Groningen (UG), visited Osaka University (OU) on 10 October 2024. UG and OU have maintained a deep collaboration over the years, with UG being one of our Global Knowledge Partners.

President Shojiro NISHIO, along with Executive Vice President Koichi FUKASE, Executive Vice President Manabu TANAKA and other members of OU welcomed the UG delegation to discuss future collaboration.

Through this meeting, both universities discovered new ways of strengthening the partnership further.

After the meeting with President NISHIO, the UG delegation visited SANKEN and the Graduate School of Engineering Science.

It is expected that their visit will promote joint research and active student exchange.　

IFReC and University College London (UCL) Jointly Host Their Third Immunology Symposium

The 3rd UCL-OU IFReC Joint Symposium on Immunology, the third collaboration between Osaka University and its Global Knowledge Partner, University College London (UCL), was held at Osaka University on 26-27 September 2024.

On the first day, lectures on cutting-edge immunological research were held in the Taniguchi Memorial Hall by eight researchers from Osaka University and seven from UCL. The talks were attended by more than 80 participants who engaged in lively discussions on the latest findings and technologies. On the second day, individual discussions took place between researchers from UCL and IFReC. Based on the lectures, specific ideas for joint research and future collaboration were discussed, leading to deeper exchanges.

It is expected that international collaborations in immunology with UCL will continue to develop, along with the exchange of researchers and students.

Executive Vice President YAMAMOTO Beverley Anne visits the University of Groningen

On May 23 and 24, 2024, Executive Vice President YAMAMOTO Beverley Anne and Professor NOMACHI Masaharu (Director of the European Center for Academic Initiatives) visited the University of Groningen, one of Osaka University’s Global Knowledge Partners, to attend the Strategic Partner Forum held to celebrate the 410th anniversary of the University of Groningen’s founding.

On the morning of May 23, following the opening speech by Professor Jacquelien Scherpen (Rector, University of Groningen), Professor Janny de Jong introduced Euroculture, a two-year, fully English-taught, international Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree in European Studies, and then Executive Vice President Yamamoto provided some comments on the program. In the afternoon, following the speech by Professor Jouke de Vries (President, University of Groningen) and a lecture by Professor Ben Feringa, 2016 Nobel Prize Winner, a lively discussion was held on the topic of globalization.

On May 24, a discussion was held in the morning on the topic of Impact Creation in Disaster Mitigation and Preparedness with an attendance of faculty from the University of Groningen, Gadjah Mada University, and Osaka University. Associate Professor SUGIMOTO Megumi, introduced by Executive Vice President Yamamoto, delivered a virtual presentation on her research on disaster prevention. Regional Director Nomachi spoke about a project to measure radiation levels in coastal towns of Hamadori region in Fukushima Prefecture, which was affected by the earthquake and nuclear accident. Participants from the 3 universities also had earnest discussions on joint research and collaboration in the future.