APRU activity report 2026 APM and SLIM
Participation in the APRU 30th Annual Presidents’ Meeting (APM) and the APRU Senior International Leaders' Meeting (SILM) 2026
The Annual Presidents’ Meeting (APM), the annual general meeting of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), a multilateral consortium of which UOsaka is a member, was hosted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and held on its Hong Kong campus, from June 21 to 23, 2026. Approximately 150 participants from more than 40 APRU member universities across 19 countries and regions attended the meeting, which provided valuable opportunities for diverse exchanges and networking.
Under the theme “The Next Horizon: Shaping Universities for a Changing World”, this international meeting featured keynote speeches and panel discussions on the future of education, research, and university management. Discussions focused on how higher education institutions should respond to a rapidly changing environment shaped by advances in artificial intelligence (AI), geopolitical shifts, demographic changes, and transformations in the labor market.
From UOsaka, Executive Vice President HAYASHI Mikako, Associate Professor MOCHIZUKI Mayumi from the Institute for International Initiatives, and a staff member from the Department of International Affairs participated in the meeting. One of the most striking impressions from the meeting was that the discussion around AI has moved beyond the question of whether it should be used, toward how it can be responsibly integrated into universities’ education and research activities. At the same time, participants discussed how to preserve essential values such as intellectual inquiry, the humanities, and empathy in an era of increasing AI adoption. The discussions suggested that educational reform is evolving beyond the integration of AI itself to encompass a fundamental reconsideration of evaluation systems. The meeting also reaffirmed the growing expectation that universities serve as platforms for addressing societal challenges. In addition, participants confirmed that multilateral collaboration through APRU Programs continues to expand, creating new opportunities for cooperation among member institutions.
Following the APM, the Senior International Leaders’ Meeting (SILM) was held at the same venue from June 23 to 24, 2026, marking the first time the two meetings had been held consecutively. Under the theme “What Does It Mean for Global Engagement to Be Resilient and Inclusive?”, the meeting featured panel discussions and workshops on how universities can sustain and develop international connections while promoting global engagement as open and inclusive institutions. Discussions took place against a backdrop of a rapidly changing and increasingly uncertain global environment, considering geopolitical tensions, various constraints facing universities, and evolving conditions surrounding international mobility.
From UOsaka, Associate Professor MOCHIZUKI Mayumi of the Institute for International Initiatives participated in the meeting and served as a panelist in a workshop titled “Regional Perspectives on Internationalization. Associate Professor MOCHIZUKI introduced Japan’s internationalization strategies and recent trends in international collaboration among universities. She also shared the challenges arising from growing geopolitical tensions, noting that these developments are increasing the burden not only on students and researchers but also on the administrative divisions responsible for international affairs. She stated the importance of leveraging international networks with diverse range of institutions rather than scaling back activities in response to these challenges. She also noted APRU’s potential to play a leading role in fostering and advancing such collaborative efforts.
In addition to sharing concerns about the growing impact of geopolitical tensions, panelists from other universities highlighted a range of challenges specific to their respective countries and regions, including reductions in research funding, the importance of making greater use of online engagement, and the recent situation of international student recruitment.
【Group photo at the APM】
【Group photo at the SLIM】
